In a bid to address the menace of plastic styrofoam to human health, the Federal Government is set to ban single-use plastic products (SUPs) and styrofoam in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). This was disclosed by Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Environment, during a workshop and capacity building for chemicals and waste handlers, held recently in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Commending the state government for the initiative, Iziaq said building the capacity of manufacturers and producers to embrace the principle of cleaner production and chemical management were germane to addressing the menace. Iziaq urgred government departments and offices to comply with the new directive, as he reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to eliminate the single-used plastics.
The occasion being the second edition of the Chemical Handlers and Users Workshop which was at the instance of the Ogun State Ministry of Environment was an avenue to intimate stakeholders on the need to safeguard the health of the people and the environment by adopting best practices in chemicals handling and waste management. Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Ogun State Deputy Governor, members of the State Executive Council; members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and other critical stakeholders were present at the event. According to the attendees, unchecked handling of waste and chemicals have been responsible for loss of biodiversity, pollution of underground water and increase of non-communicable diseases. With this in mind, they called for the embrace of circular solutions in chemical and waste management to guarantee more efficient production.
