Town Planners call for ban on plastics use in stores, markets

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate the World Environment Day, (WED), which holds every June 5, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has called on the Federal government to ban the use of plastics as packaging materials in stores and markets across the country.

Adding that the use of organic materials such as leaves for packaging of food, instead of plastics and related materials should be pursued

This is even as they urged government to implement policy interventions aimed at curbing plastic pollution in Nigeria.

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The NITP National President, Dr Ogbonna Chime, made the call in a statement signed by the national public relations secretary of the Institute, Dr Jesse Nor.

He said: “As we celebrate WED, the NITP recommends policy interventions through enactment of laws and regulations on multi-use of plastics, as well as banning of plastics as packaging materials in stores and markets. This should be made effective through stern enforcement.”

Chime lamented that though plastic pollution has serious negative impact on sectors like tourism and recreation, water resources management, serious attention is yet to be paid in curbing the dangerous trend.

He reiterated that when plastic pollution is prevented, it will have positive implications on the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): especially on SDG 3, which is Good Health and Wellbeing.

According to him, the implication of effective management of the menace will be positive on SDG  6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, as well as SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.

The statement read in part: “The theme of the celebration, which is “Beat Plastic Pollution” resonates with the thoughts of the Institute, that waste must be properly managed in order to enhance the livability standard of the Country’s human settlements.

“It has been shown that plastics are resourceful and beneficial to human system in the areas of packaging, material conservation and energy management. However, in many African cities generation of plastic waste tends to exceed the carrying capacity to manage it. Thus, plastic waste issues are one of the urban crises in contemporary times. For instance, plastic pollution is already threatening hydrological, as well as public health systems.

“It is a known fact that plastic pollution has also had serious negative impact on sectors like tourism and recreation, water resources management (watershed): drinking, contaminating the food chain, as well as agriculture and food processing value chain. There is also climate risks and other ecological issues, due to non-biodegradable nature of plastics.

“In Nigeria, plastic waste is observed in various cities, towns and villages – contaminating water resources, and littering streets. Plastic waste is even found in foods and drinks, when used for packaging / storage. Plastic waste audit indicates that for a city like Lagos, each resident generates and throw 10 plastic water bottles on a daily basis (UNEP and UN-Habitat, 2020). Plastic components such as bottles, sachets, polyethylene bags are also found in landfills, waterways, and in the oceans.

“In order to contain the menace of plastic pollution, some management strategies like collection, crushing, recycling, and so on, have been initiated at different scales in cities and towns.

“As Town Planners, we are concerned about plastic pollution because it is a danger to effective planning of human settlements for functionality, healthy living and aesthetic. Achieving these objectives of physical planning will be extremely difficult when plastic waste is not effectively contained.

“Additionally, the Institute want to reiterate that when plastic pollution is prevented, it will have positive implications on the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): especially on SDG 3, which is Good Health and Wellbeing. Furthermore, the implication of effective management of the menace will be positive on SDG  6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, as well as SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Others with which direct linkage will be established are SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 13 on Climate Actions.

“There is also the need to activate circular economy that will ensure reuse of plastics. This should be complemented with creation of incentives for companies that are currently using ‘reduce models’ in plastic for packaging.”