Federal Gov’t, Stakeholders Move To Tackle Plastic Pollution

The Federal Ministry of Environment has developed, and implementing a National Policy on Plastic Waste Management that will provide a strategic framework for reducing plastic use as well as promote recycling and encourage innovation in alternatives to single-use plastics.

Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal who said this in a keynote address at the 2025 World Environment Day Commemoration, on Tuesday in Abuja, disclosed that his ministry was collaborating with key stakeholders across government, industry, and civil society to ensure that environmental policies translate into meaningful impact.

The minister said the theme of this year’s world Environment Day: “Ending Plastic Pollution,” resonates with a global urgency that cannot be overstate.

He maintained that plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue but also an economic and public health crisis.

While warning that plastic waste being dumped into oceans, rivers, and drainage systems endangers wildlife and contributes to flooding of the urban centres, the minister lamented that cities and rural communities suffer from the burden of unchecked plastic pollution.

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These, he noted ranged from sachet water bags littering streets to micro-plastics entering the food chain and causing public health concerns.

“In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are taking decisive steps to address plastic pollution at all levels. We are supporting innovative circular economy models to drive recycling and promote plastic alternatives, especially across government ministries, departments, and agencies.

“We have launched the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programme, which mandates producers to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their plastic products from production to disposal.

“The Ministry is collaborating with key stakeholders across government, industry, and civil society to ensure that environmental policies translate into meaningful impact. However, we cannot do this alone.

“The fight against plastic pollution and other environmental challenges must be a people-oriented movement. This is a fight for the preservation of our ecosystems, the future of our children, and the survival of our dear planet”, he said.

Senior Vice President, Corporate Service of Oando Clean Energy (OCEL), Mrs. Alero Balogun cautioned that plastic pollution is no longer a distant threat, but a daily reality.

She revealed that over 400 million tons of plastic waste are generated globally every year, with only 10% recycled, warning that unless preventive measures were put in place, the figure will double by 2040.

Mrs. Balogun stressed that plastic litter clogs the drains, pollutes waterways, chokes the soil, and endangers livelihoods, particularly in communities where environmental safeguards are weakest in Nigeria.

She added that amidst these challenges lies a remarkable opportunity, “At OCEL, we believe that solving the plastic problem is not just a technical challenge, it is a social imperative, an economic opportunity, and a climate necessity.

“It is why we proudly align with the mission of this year’s celebration and why we continue to support the Rural Women Energy Security (RUWES) and other grassroots-led environmental initiatives across the country.

“In line with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP’s) global mandate and RUWES’ local vision, OCEL’s flagship contribution to tackling plastic pollution is our PET Bottle Recycling Project in Ogun State.”

She stressed that the project was designed as a centre of innovation and impact, with a processing capacity of 2,750 metric tons of PET plastic per month. “To put it in perspective, this translates to over 100 million PET bottles being diverted from landfills and open environments, every single month.

“Instead of polluting our lands and rivers, these materials will be transformed into valuable raw materials for new products, fuelling a truly circular economy,” she said.