Federal Government Set To Prohibit Single-Use Plastics

The Federal Government has begun the process of banning single-use plastics with the inauguration of a committee to oversee the policy. The Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Ban of Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) was formally launched yesterday by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), marking a major step forward in Nigeria’s efforts to combat plastic pollution.

The proposed ban, approved at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held on June 25, 2024, targets common plastic items such as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles, styrofoam food containers, plastic shopping bags, sachet water packaging, and plastic straws.

In his address at the inauguration, the SGF, George Akume, noted that the policy aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to upholding global environmental standards.
He said: “The FEC decision was in line with the Federal Government’s efforts to tackle various health and environmental challenges, especially those caused by single-use plastic products and therefore, approved the ban in the country of polyethene terephthalate (PET) bottles, styrofoam, plastic bags, sachet water and straw, which has become an environmental sanitation challenge.”

He further explained that improper disposal of plastic materials significantly contributes to marine pollution and land degradation. According to him, plastic waste takes an extended period to decompose both on land and in water, posing serious risks to wildlife and human health due to its toxic components.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Mr. Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, the SGF emphasized that this initiative, pursued within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reflects Nigeria’s most determined effort yet to reduce plastic pollution.