Abuja: The Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) has called for collaboration among stakeholders on finding local and innovative solutions to the plastic waste crisis in the country. The society said such collaboration should be geared towards rethinking, refusing, reusing, reducing, and recycling plastics for a sustainable environment.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Efegbidiki Okobia, President of NES, made the call at the commemoration of the World Environment Day (WED) in Abuja. The WED is commemorated annually on June 5, with the theme for 2025 being: 'Plastic Waste Pollution Solutions'. Okobia stressed that the solution to plastic pollution was not solely dependent on government actions but required a collective effort from stakeholders, government, private sectors, and multilateral organisations.
Okobia highlighted the critical need for concerted efforts to address the widespread and detrimental impact of plastic pollution on ecosystems, public health, and the economy. He identified plastic pollution as a global crisis, emphasizing that Nigeria was not immune to its devastating effects. Okobia noted that millions of tonnes of plastic waste annually find their way into rivers, streets, and communities, endangering biodiversity and exacerbating urban flooding.
The challenges identified by Okobia included poor enforcement of regulations and laws, inadequate waste management infrastructure, and a lack of awareness and poor behavioral attitudes toward waste management among citizens. He stated that the Society had adopted a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach to tackling plastic waste pollution in the country.
Okobia mentioned that NES, in collaboration with partners, intended to establish a recycling facility to help curb the menace of plastic pollution and other waste management issues, contingent upon the FCT administration allocating land for that purpose. He emphasized NES's commitment to collaborating with the United Nations in Nigeria, African Union, ECOWAS, and other multilateral organisations and private companies.
Okobia stated that NES would set up a recycling plant with its partners to change the narrative, urging collective actions-no matter how big or small-to shape the future of the environment and safeguard the wellbeing of future generations. He called for a reaffirmation of commitment to innovative and sustainable solutions for plastic waste pollution, advocating for a cleaner, greener Nigeria.
He identified solutions to reducing plastic pollution locally, including promoting sustainable alternatives and encouraging the adoption of reusable and biodegradable materials to replace single-use plastics. Other solutions include enhancing the collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure to minimize plastic waste leakage into the environment, supporting local innovation, and fostering entrepreneurship.