World Environment Day: Tackling Land Pollution Menace In Nigeria

World Environment Day is celebrated annually on 5 June and encourages awareness and action for the protection of the environment.

It is supported by many non-governmental organizations, businesses, government entities, and represents the primary United Nations outreach day supporting the environment.

In this report, environment correspondent, Gimalo Olowogoke looks at land pollution in Nigeria.

Theme for the World Environment Day 2023 is under the campaign #BeatPlasticPollution, ‘Ecosystem Restoration.

In Nigeria, land pollution is on the increase due mainly to the surge in industrial activities, leading to monumental environmental degradation with the attendant health implications to humans.

However, there is no dedicated legislation regulating land pollution in Nigeria. It is against this background that this paper examines the legal frameworks on land pollution in Nigeria.

The paper recommends the need to enact legislation or amend the existing environmental laws to reduce cases of land pollution in Nigeria.

In recent years, the amount of plastic in the environment has become a global concern.

With the world population approaching eight billion, more and more plastic and plastic-derived products are being used and discarded.

An estimated 367 million tonnes (367 billion kg) of plastic were produced in 2020 alone – about 12 tonnes (12,000kg) of plastic waste produced every second that year.

With About 2.5 Million Tonnes Of Plastic Waste Annually, Nigeria Ranks Ninth Globally Among Countries With The Highest Contributions To Plastic Pollution.

Unfortunately, over 88% of the plastic waste generated in Nigeria is not recycled. Instead, much of it ends up in water bodies – rivers, lakes, drains, lagoons and the ocean.

Studies globally have demonstrated the adverse impacts of plastic waste on the environment. For example, it can cause intestinal damage when ingested by fishes and turtles.

A systematic review of academic studies on plastic pollution was conducted in the environment in Nigeria. There were relatively few.

As at May 30, 2021 there were only 26 such studies in Nigeria, compared to 62 peer-reviewed studies on the Arctic Ocean.

Between 1987 and September 2020, there were 59 studies on the African aquatic environment.

The Studies Indicate That Water Sachets And Shopping Bags Are The Major Constituents Of Plastic Waste In Nigeria.

Educational institutions, markets and households are among the major routes. They are indirect routes of entry of plastic waste, particularly into water bodies in Nigeria.

The sources of plastic waste included tyre wear, cigarette butts and electronic waste (mobile phone components, electronics, electrical appliances).

Others were fishing ropes, biosolids, cosmetics, clothing, food packs, and cellphone bags.

Microplastic particles were found in some insects, snails and fish sampled from water bodies as well as in table salt (mostly in Southern Nigeria).

How To Prevent Land Pollution

So let’s look at solutions, Given the disastrous effects of land pollution, taking preventive measures to reduce its impact moving forward is crucial. Finding solutions to land pollution is not a matter of discovering a silver bullet — it will require efforts on multiple fronts.

Given that the use of pesticides and chemicals in farming and agriculture greatly contributes to land pollution, finding alternatives will help to reduce the environmental impact.

Farmers, for instance, can use natural ingredients by switching from bio-fertilizers to manure or enrolling in programs that provide education and resources regarding sustainable farming.

Another solution is Reforestation which involves replanting an area with trees.

This process helps to bind the soil, which helps to protect it from land pollution and prevents soil erosion and flooding.

Also Start composting the garbage that doesn’t need any additional efforts to be recycled (like vegetables, fruit).

You can also do the same actions with leaves instead of burning them.

A few months later, you will have an effective fertilizer of natural origin, which is rich in nutritive microelements for your trees and flowers.