Lagos state, the state of aquatic splendor is
the second most populated state just after Kano in Nigeria. An aquatic splendor
in that, it is almost drown in water, which exists as creeks, lagoons and
estuaries-which removes more than 800 square kilometers of the total land area.
Water bodies are so prevalent that they have many entry points and tributaries
to the sea from upland.
The
importance of these water bodies as a lifeline to the state cannot be
overemphasized; because, it helps to regulate the state climate, provides jobs
for fishermen, water for farming and domestic use, a transport super highway
linking many areas and space for waste disposal. The Lagos lagoon has for long
erroneously served as a respiratory of waste however, with the increase in the
state population, the ability of the lagoon to continually flush away such
waste naturally is becoming reduced.
This is
most especially true with the non- biodegradable wastes which majorly consist
of metals, glass, polythene bags and plastic- which has become a visible waste
of late on Lagos lagoon. Plastics on its own are notorious for it unsightly
presence on water as it cannot sink unlike the other class of wastes when they
find their way into water from inland sources. Unsuspecting aquatic lives are
known to have been killed by plastics, whales and dolphins are known to be
suffocated by plastics when they ingest them, seabirds and seals have
frequently been found entangled and strangled by discarded plastics.
The word plastic covers a wide range of materials,
which have in common the ability to deform almost immediately and indefinitely
under heat and pressure without breaking. Some plastics, like cellophane film
and rayon, are based on plant cellulose, a renewable resource. The majority,
however, including polythenes and PVC, are based on renewable oil and other
hydrocarbons. It has been estimated that, over a quarter of all plastics we use
in the world go into short life packaging, and almost none of them are
recycled, even though the technology exists to recycle most plastics. Plastic
waste makes up between 5 and 7 percent of domestic rubbish, 900,000 of it each
year. One of the most environmental challenges connected with the
indiscriminate use of plastic is that most do not rot when left in the environment.
Of all the plastics, PET bottles are common in waste second after polythene
bags. This is because; they are relatively cheap to produce as a means of
packaging as compared to other forms of plastics. PET; an acronym for
Polyethylene Terephthalate is used to package consumables-especially drinks.
What started as a solution to the cost and
safety concern associated with glass bottles is continually becoming a
nightmare to the environment and environmentalist at large. The environmental
hazards and scares PET bottles leave behind is tasking long after the content
of the bottles has been consumed. PET bottles have an environmental, human
health and aesthetic challenge; it is found in virtually on all lagoon surfaces
in Lagos state, not only in densely populated regions, but also in remote areas
far from the obvious sources of human contact. It poses a complex and
multi-dimensional challenge with significant implications for aquatic
environment and human activities all over Lagos state.
These
impact are both cultural and deeply rooted primarily in poor practices of solid
waste management, a lack of infrastructure, various human activities, an
inadequate understanding on the part of the public of the potential
consequences of their actions, the lack of adequate legal and enforcement
system and a lack of financial resources to cope with this challenge. Although,
the environmental costs are often factored into these bottles, however, Nigeria
is not doing much as pertains PET bottles clean-up. Few years ago, concern was
raised on the menace of “pure water” sachets in Lagos state, debates were held,
roundtable discussion arranged on how to clean them up this malaise, after much
said and done, the issue was swept under the carpet like other pressing
environmental issues in Nigeria.
Every
keen observer will know that, Nigeria as a nation is fast at ratifying and
appending to many conventions, protocols and conferences without considering
how adequately we can implement such to letter. On the environmental front, The
United Nations law of the Sea, the UNEP global initiative on marine litter,
Basel convention of 1992, London convention and protocol of 1996, MARPOL
convention 73/78, the Earth Summit and the Sustainable Development Conference
are all proof to this. One does not need a soothsayer to tell that
Lagos lagoon is continuously been abused, we all need to take an equivocal
steps at seeing that PET bottles are controlled so as to reduce their
environmental menace to the state.
Unlike
plastics that are difficult to recycle because they do not mix easily, PET
bottles are exceptionally recyclable. They can be melted down and regenerated
into cotton fiber used in jackets insulation, pillow stuffing, and car
interiors or ultimately, they can be molded into bottles again. In the United
States, PET bottles’ recycling is a hundred-million-dollar a year business. For
example, in the United States, Image Carpet changed from nylon and polyester to
PET because of its consistent high quality, the end result was that, they made
a huge success in terms of sales by including it in their marketing strategy.
Considering these inherent benefits in PET bottles, recycling them is a big
business and Nigeria can tap into the available technology employed all over
the world.
It needs to be recognized at all
levels-individuals, community and nationally-that PET bottles can be recycled.
Connected to this, is that waste must be properly disposed; packaging should
protect and appeal, yet use minimal resources and be possible to recycle. We need
to be aware that PET doesn’t just disappear when we dispose them improperly; it
is we who pay-both in money and environmental damage. People must be encouraged
to sort waste in Lagos state, we need to think about re-using PET bottles, and
the government should consider introducing a small levy on each container to
fund recycling projects.
In
addition, there needs to be a guarantee market, with fixed minimum price for
different PET bottles. All these should be done in full realization that we
don’t have another planet to stay other than this, that if lagosians abuse the
Lagos lagoon, they invariably abuse themselves since, their very existence and
destiny is tied to the lagoon.
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