Commissioner for Environment in Ogun State, Mr. Bolaji Oyeleye, has cautioned the residents of the state against dumping plastic of used water into the waterways across the state, as it posed a great threat to the drainage and society at large.

Oyeleye, in a state made available by his media aide, Mr. Goke Gbadamosi, stated this while joining the world to celebrate the 2018 World Environment Day with the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution.”

While stressing the need for concerted efforts towards eliminating plastic pollution in the country, Oyeleye described plastic pollution as one the great environmental challenges been facing today across the country, but suggested of recycling of the plastic for another product.

He added that man’s over reliance on plastic products has resulted into severe pollution of the oceans and seas thereby endangering marine life and posing a threat to human health.

He noted that the condition of the environment is declining due to rapid industrialization, deforestation, global warming, Pollution and changing of lifestyle, saying that there was urgent need to for sustained awareness towards addressing these challenges.

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He said the plastic pollution could be minimised by recycling used plastic products, adding that to effectively clean up and discontinue plastic production, the public must embrace alternatives, such as paper bags and recyclable bags.

In his speech titled “Beating Plastic Pollution”, an environmental expert and Don at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Prof. Toyin Arowolo identified government intervention through taxes and levies on the use of plastic as a vital solution to the challenge, adding that Rwanda, China, Kenya, and many other countries had implemented policies towards reducing plastic pollution.

He then advocated for segregation of waste from homes in order to reduce the volume of plastic that end up in water bodies, saying that Nigerians should also consciously find other alternatives to plastic products that they use on daily basis.

Meanwhile, the Consultant to Ginger Burgeap and French Agency for Development (AFD), Karine Escande during her presentation on the feasibility study of the Solid Waste Management Project in Abeokuta, noted that Ogun State must improve its capacity for solid waste collection and reduce waste-to-landfill in order to have an integrated and sustainable waste management in the State.

She commended the state government’s desire to develop sustainable waste management in all its municipalities, expressing optimism that it’s partnership with development partners would yield positive results.