The Lagos State government says it will enforce the ban on single-use plastics (SUPs) to start in the next two weeks.
This was made known by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, during an inspection of flood-prone areas and ongoing projects on Lagos Island and its surroundings, which ended at the Ilubirin waterfront.
Wahab had in December 2024, declared a ban on the use of Styrofoam and SUPs for packaging, stating that enforcement would commence in January 2025.
The state had initially banned the use of Styrofoam in January 2024 due to the growing environmental concerns linked to plastic waste.
Speaking at the Ilubirin Pump Station, Wahab reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the ban, adding that littering, particularly with Styrofoam, had reduced since the initial enforcement.
“There is no going back on a total ban of SUPs. We are currently having conversations in respect of how to phase them off.
“The enforcement will take effect before the end of January,” he said.
Addressing the state’s efforts at Ilubirin, Wahab commended the infrastructure initially built by Julius Berger but highlighted the challenges posed by human behavior.
“In fairness to the government, we saw the level of degradation. There was infrastructure built by Julius Berger, properly done with road networks, functional drainage, and walkways. However, bad human behavior clogged up the system.
“This tour became necessary as the Governor has re-awarded the regeneration of the infrastructure of Lagos Island.
“We need to ensure the contractors are ready to commence and see if the contract period can be abridged,” he explained.
