The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, has called on stakeholders to support the drive to beat the unending pollution caused by inappropriate disposal of plastic materials.

Princess Orelope-Adefulire gave this charge in a statement issued in commemoration of the 2018 World Environment Day celebration with the theme: “Beat Plastic Pollution”. She added that plastic pollution has become an epidemic in the Nigerian society and indeed across the world.

The Presidential Aide aligned with reports by UN Environment, which shows that “we throw away enough plastic to circle the Earth four times every year. Much of that waste doesn’t make it into a landfill, but instead ends up in our oceans, where it’s responsible for killing one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals every year, and it can persist for up to 1,000 years before it fully disintegrates. For the good of the planet, it’s time to rethink how we use plastic.”

“Every year, 500 billion plastic bags are used around the world; 13 million tonnes of plastic leak into the ocean, 17 million barrels of oil are used on plastic production; 100,000 marine animals are killed by plastics; and 83% of tap water are found to contain plastic particles. This is alarming and dangerous to the environment. In particular, it’s impacting the ocean, which is the lungs of our planet, providing most of the oxygen we breathe, major source of food and medicines and a critical part of the biosphere,” adds the UN body.

Orelope-Adefulire maintained that there is need for the public to help beat plastic pollution by switching to materials that are easily reusable as alternative to plastic, adding that as the planet continues to grow relentlessly in population, a corresponding growth in waste products also occurs. She noted that though the society has an etiquette that separates waste products from the immediate living areas, the waste however creates huge environmental problems and impacts the entire planet. She therefore advocated for continuous recycling as a method to deal responsibly with the plastic problem.

The goal of recycling is to separate waste products into two major categories, Biodegradable and Non-biodegradable, with plastic constituting a larger part of the non-biodegradable waste component.

“Beat Plastic Pollution” is a call to action for everyone to come together to combat one of the great environmental challenges of our time. It also invites all to consider how they can make changes in their everyday lives to reduce the heavy burden of plastic pollution on the environment, wildlife and the health of the people.

While plastic has many valuable uses, people have become over reliant on single-use or disposable plastic – with severe environmental consequences. Around the world, one million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute. Every year, up to five trillion disposable plastic bags are used, with 50 per cent of the total plastic in single use.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Bolaji Oyeleye, has cautioned the residents of the state against dumping used plastic sachet and bottles into the waterways across the state, as it posed a 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 being faced today across the country. He however suggested of recycling of the plastic waste into 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 industrialisation, deforestation, global warming, pollution and changing of lifestyle, saying that there was urgent need to for sustained awareness towards addressing these challenges.

Oyeleye 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 a 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. He added that Rwanda, China, Kenya, and several other countries had implemented policies towards reducing plastic pollution.

He then advocated 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, the state capital, 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 its partnership with development partners would yield positive results.

The Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, in partnership with the International Centre for Energy Environment and Development and Heinrich Boell Foundation, launched the “No Smoke” Music Video on Tuesday, June 5, 2018 in Abuja to commemorate the World Environment Day. The event had in attendance over 100 stakeholders from government, private sector, NGOs/CSOs, the international community as well as the media.

The song in the music video is rendered by the duo, Tai n Kenny, in support of clean cooking solutions especially for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East Nigeria. It highlights the health hazards and sufferings of millions of people (especially women) cooking with open fire using firewood.  About 95% of IDPs, host communities and returnees in the Northeast depends on firewood and charcoal for cooking and 85% of these households face protection risks when collecting firewood. Women and the girl child walk long distances and spend hours a week in search of firewood. This also contributes to deforestation and the effects of climate change.

In Nigeria, more than 120 million cook over an open fire and, according to World Health Organisation (WHO), smoke from open fire causes more than 95,000 deaths annually in Nigeria. After malaria and HIV/Aids, this is the third highest killer, mostly of women and children.

Clean cooking saves lives, empowers women, improves livelihood and combats climate change.  It is a priority area in energy access that is central in achieving the goals of the country’s commitment to mitigate as well as adapt to the effects of climate change. Cooking should not kill and clean cooking energy for all is not only possible but a right for our citizens.

The National Coordinator of Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, Ewah Eleri, in his welcome address, acknowledged the efforts of various partners and stakeholders from government, private sector, NGOs/CSOs and the international community in moving the clean cooking industry forward. He stated that he is glad the issue of clean cooking is being raised at the policy level. He hopes that the music video will contribute to raising awareness about the need for clean cooking.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment, in her keynote address recognised the challenges of using firewood for cooking and noted that women and children in rural and urban areas deserve a better life.

She said: “Our mothers can stay healthier and our environment better if we are determined to switch to clean cooking solutions. I am proud to be associated with this event that the Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves has put together. It is my hope that ‘No Smoke’ will get a lot of airplay and the video being launched will be a feature on our television screens.”

She stated further that the music video would create awareness about the dangers of air pollution and encourage everyone to switch to cleaner methods of cooking.

Her words: “It is my hope that, beyond today’s celebration, the advocacy for cleaner and safer cooking methods will be intensified and the message taken to rural communities that may not see the video.”

She ended her address by reaffirming that the Nigerian Senate remains committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable amongst us are protected. The Senate Committee on Environment will not wane in its commitment towards achieving a healthier environment, she added.

Representative of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Jonas Bervoets, commended the efforts of the Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves and other stakeholders in promoting clean cooking solutions. He underscored the need for safe and environment friendly access to fuels and energy for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP).

He noted that the FAO, in collaboration with other partners including ICEED, is facilitating a coordinated and effective response to the fuel and energy needs of crisis-affected communities in Northeast Nigeria through the Safe Access to Fuels and Energy (SAFE) workgroup. He further noted that an FAO-ICEED partnership has set up three clean cookstoves production training centres in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.

Dr. Yerima Peter Tarfa, Director, Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment, noted that the Federal Government is committed to promoting the issue of clean cooking which has the potential to help Nigeria meet its obligations in the National Determined Contributions (NDCs) agreed upon at the Paris climate summit.

He remarked that the music video would play an important role in raising awareness about the need for clean cooking among policy makers and private sector as well as contribute to behavioural change on how we cook.

The Head of Missions Spouses Association (HOMSA) also sent a goodwill message on the occasion.