The Lagos State Government has said it is prepared to begin full enforcement of the ban on the usage and distribution of Styrofoam food containers across the state, starting on Monday.
The government declared that any Styrofoam found in shops within the state would be seized and confiscated.
In January, News About Nigeria reported that the state government had decided to ban Styrofoam and other single-use plastics because of their detrimental effects on the environment.
Stakeholders, however, expressed concerns about the ban, stating that it would have negative impacts on their businesses.
Despite a three-week grace period provided for the discontinuation of Styrofoam use, some vendors resorted to covert sales, while others turned to using nylon bags for food packaging.
The Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources shared the enforcement plan in a series of tweets on its handle.
Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, conveyed the decision during a meeting with market leaders in the state at the BlueRoof Alausa area.
Bello said that the enforcement, involving officers from LAGESC/KAI, Environmental Health Officials, LAWMA Police, and the Ministry, would target shops, stores, or outlets with Styrofoam, confiscating the items.
The recent closure of some markets across the state was linked to unsanitary conditions, and Bello appealed to market leaders to prioritise cleanliness.
While acknowledging the necessity of enforcing environmental laws, he urged traders to refrain from selling on railway lines and roads.
“I would like to appeal to all our traders to desist from selling on the railway lines and all the roads. Also, we must stop littering our market with waste. We must segregate our wastes in our respective markets; bag our wastes and ensure we patronize PSP operators”.
