Olusegun Adeyemo
Some traders in Lagos State have expressed concerns over navigating to the new reality with the full enforcement of government ban on Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) below 40-microns.
The traders expressed their concerns in separate interviews with journal Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos.
The Journal Nigeria reports that the Lagos State Government commenced full enforcement of SUPs below 40 microns on July 1. That the enforcement followed the expiration of an 18-month moratorium granted after the initial announcement in January 2024.
The ban specifically targets styrofoam food packs, all forms of polystyrene cups (disposable cups), plastic straws, plastic cutlery, and nylon carrier bags with less than 40-micron thickness.
A petty trader at the Lawanson Market, Mrs Sade Adekoya, said she had known about the ban for months but struggled with alternatives.
“The ban is one thing, but what’s crucial is what alternatives are available to us.
Another trader, Mr Emmanuel Monday, who sells puff puff at the Lawanson Market, said it would be difficult to sell hot puff puff without the small black nylons that they were used to.
“This change is not going to be easy for most traders. Life in Lagos is already hard. This change will only make it harder.
“The first time I heard about the ban was from my neighbours. We all joked that it was not possible, but we have had several meetings at the market about how serious it is,” he said.
A food vendor at the Ijesha Market, Mrs Idayat kolade, said she was not aware of the ban.
“I’m unaware of the details. What I’ve picked up from bus drivers and conductors is that using styrofoam for food sales is now an offence.
“Nobody explained why I would get arrested for using styrofoam food packs”.
However, a resident of the Masha area of Lagos, Mr Babatunde Ladipo, expressed concern that many Lagosians don’t have a culture of responsible plastic disposal.
The Commissioner For Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, said at a news conference on Tuesday that any shop found storing or selling the SUPs would be sealed, warning everyone to desist from such the act.
“There will be no going back from July 1 on the enforcement of the ban on single use plastics, which is less than 40 microns in Lagos State,” he said.