Following the increasing rate of plastic pollution in the nation’s seas and oceans, the Women in Logistics and Transport (WILAT), has called for proper disposal and recycling of plastic waste to protect the marine environment.
Vicky Haastrup, WILAT Board of Trustees member and chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), made the call during a sensitisation campaign organised to commemorate the WILAT Founder’s Day Anniversary in Lagos recently.
She decried the harmful effect of plastic wastes on human health and aquatic lives, and called on the governments at all levels to enact laws banning the single use of plastics in Nigeria in order to reduce waste.
While noting that several countries have enacted such laws, Haastrup said Nigeria should not be an exception to eliminating the harmful effects of single use of plastics with affordable alternatives.
She called on manufacturing industries to begin to look at alternative ways of producing consumables that require the use of plastics.
“Plastic pollution constitutes a lot of danger to human and aquatic lives. We see heaps of plastics almost all over the place that it seems almost impossible for any government to create a clean environment without handling the issue of plastic waste,” she said.
According to her, the Canadian government plans to ban single-use of plastics as early as 2021, and Nigeria should not be an exception.
“We as women in WILAT are using this opportunity to sensitise the society about the use of plastic, which causes serious pollution in our marine environment. It is affecting fishes such that when we eat them, it constitutes health hazards to all of us. We are using this opportunity to call on government to look into it as a way of banning some of these plastic products,” she said.
She further stated that industries should begin to look at alternative ways of packaging water and soft drinks to reduce the rate of health hazard to human and marine environment as well as the economy.
“Nigeria should pass it into law. I think it is high time we all rose up to this occasion. There should be a law that will regulate the use of plastic. It’s a major cause of pollution in the environment,” Haastrup said.
Aisha Ali-Ibrahim, founder and global convener of WILAT, who doubles as the port manager of the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, said the need for Nigeria to achieve blue environment led to the sensitisation of the public on proper recycling of plastic.
“Proper disposal of plastic is actually an area we should focus on if we want development in the logistics business. We cannot throw things everywhere. We have to recycle and make the environment better and we as women are concerned about this. That is why we decided to take it up,” she added.
Ufon Usoro, former director-general, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), called for the adoption of innovative ideas towards reducing plastic wastes in the country.
“We know that the evolution of plastics generated a lot of businesses but we have now realised the dangers posed by plastics. I believe we can invest on how to use those plastics in a sustainable way. We have heard of other countries where they use waste plastics as pellets for road repairs and study show it is very durable,” she said.
Continuing, she said: “We operate in an ecosystem and it has to be safeguarded in order to make it possible for our various businesses to grow.”
The sensitisation campaign which began with a walk from Ikoyi to Lekki through the link bridge was attended by Ibrahim Jubril, president, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Nigeria; Iyalode Alaba Lawson, immediate past president, Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and others.
WILAT, which is an arm of the CILT, set up as the global body of women professionals in the transport and logistics industry.
AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE
