United Nations says Nigeria’s plastic waste hits 1.25mt
Nigeria’s plastic refuse reaches 1.25 million tonnes.
Per details disclosed by the UN, Nigeria’s populace is utilizing more plastics, which has resulted in a rise in plastic refuse.
The global organization revealed this through the UN Industrial Development Organization.
It highlighted that over a period of 15 years, Nigeria’s plastic usage surged by 116.26 percent to 1.25 million tonnes.
This information was shared by Jean Bakole, the UNIDO country representative and regional director for West Africa, during the unveiling of the steering committee for the initiative titled “Promoting Sustainable Plastics Value Chains Through Circular Economy Practices.”
In his address, which was communicated to our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, Bakole stated, “As the most populous country with the largest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in Africa, Nigeria’s plastic refuse challenge is escalating.
“This is due to its increased consumption from 578,000 tonnes of plastics in 2007 to roughly 1,250,000 tonnes. Consequently, the per capita plastic usage has risen by five percent annually from 4kg to 6.5kg. It is projected that each individual would utilize around 7.5kg of plastics each year.”
He noted that, over time, inadequate management of plastic refuse has contaminated not only the terrestrial environment but also the marine setting, jeopardizing biodiversity and adversely affecting the blue economy.
According to the UN representative, poor management of plastics and insufficient waste administration are additional contributors to GHG emissions.
The UN official remarked, “Improperly managed plastics and ineffective waste management is also a contributor to GHG (Greenhouse gas) emissions.
“As stated by the World Bank, plastic refuse constitutes 12 percent of the total volume of municipal solid wastes generated globally. However, only 14 percent is collected for recycling while a mere nine percent is actually recycled.”
The Federal Ministry of Environment, alongside relevant stakeholders, has undertaken steps to tackle the plastic challenge comprehensively by implementing the circular economy model in response to the situation in Nigeria, according to Mohammed Abdullahi, the environment minister who launched the committee.
“In this regard, we have formulated national policies on solid waste and plastic waste management to foster environmental preservation, resource and energy efficiency, circular economy practices, and enhance the sustainable utilization of natural resources along with sustainable production and consumption.”
