- hot-spots
- plastic pollution
- Nigeria
- Plastic waste problem in Lagos

Problems
Plastic pollution hotspot unfolds in Lagos state
Lagos was the capital of Nigeria until 1991 when Abuja became the capital. Nevertheless, Lagos remains the industrial and commercial center of Nigeria. Like other developing countries, Nigeria has faced a growing urban population. As urban populations grew, so did the challenges of protecting the environment, namely the urban environment. Lagos' environment is increasingly littered with plastic waste, despite the potential for a multibillion-naira recycling industry. Millions of tons of plastic waste accumulated over time continue to accumulate in the environment, and some of it is buried in landfills, even though science has established that it cannot decompose for hundreds of years. Lagos is littered with garbage. In a city of more than 20 million people, trash piles up in the streets, near homes, and along the banks of bodies of water. The rotting piles look disgusting and spread a persistent stench around them. In addition, the city is experiencing an acute shortage of electricity. Many residents solve this problem with portable generators using gasoline and diesel fuel, polluting the atmosphere with harmful and dangerous emissions.
How does plastic pollution in Lagos harm the environment?
The harm from garbage is much more significant than it may seem at first glance. Suffice it to recall that plastic takes 500 to 1,000 years to decompose, meaning that all the products made of it are now on Earth. At the same time, more and more plastic is being produced every year, and more plastic has been produced in the last decade than in the last hundred years. This is creating a huge problem that is affecting the planet from all sides. Here's how plastic affects different areas: ● Most plastic products are stockpiled in landfills, and all kinds of materials are collected, some of which can be pretty dangerous. For example, chlorinated plastic can release chemicals that go into the soil, groundwater, and wells from which water is taken for drinking. Biodegradable plastic releases methane, a gas that enters the atmosphere and contributes to the greenhouse effect that accelerates global warming; ● Large quantities of plastic collected in Lagos enter the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and during decomposition, the material also releases toxic substances. Real garbage stains collect in the water, which is quite difficult to clean up; ● Plastic also hurts animals. Harmful substances can get into their bodies and poison them. A huge number of sea creatures die because of plastic. Fish, whales, and turtles die from poisoning or being entangled in the trash. The same applies to seabirds. If animals accidentally ingest plastic, their digestive tract becomes clogged and they starve to death because they can no longer feed; ● Plastic is also harmful to humans; chemicals in some toxic plastics can cause skin diseases and poisoning.
The prognosis for Lagos's ecology is unfavorable
According to experts, Lagos produces the largest volume of plastic waste in Nigeria, and that volume could triple in the coming years if efforts are not made to redirect waste into economic gain. Most countries in the developed world have regulations that require producers to use recycled materials in certain quantities. In Nigeria, however, there is no such regulation, and many corporations seem unaware of their responsibility.
Gallery
5Timelines
2022
July 26
A waste recycling company, Freee Recycle Limited says Lagos State generates 870,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually. Speaking at an event in Lagos, Managing Director of BASF West Africa, Jean-Marc, described the volume of waste generated by the state as a source of wealth for the state. Jean-Marc added that the name change from Freetown recycling to Freee recycling will immediately provide solutions to the problem and people will start seeing big opportunities in waste recycling.
June 27
With about 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, Nigeria ranks ninth globally among countries with the highest contributions to plastic pollution. Unfortunately, over 88% of the plastic waste generated in Nigeria is not recycled. The studies indicate that water sachets and shopping bags are the major constituents of plastic waste in Nigeria.
2021
July 26
HISL Recyclers and Eco Viridis recycle on average between eight and 20 tonnes of plastic waste a month. They recognize that more must be done to scale up, given that Nigeria, Africa's largest economy, is the seventh highest generator of plastic waste in the world with almost six million tonnes. And Lagos is at the heart of this crisis.
2020
March 15
Given the increasing prevalence of plastic waste and its negative effect on the environment in recent years, the Lagos State Government is set to put in place policy guidelines backed up with an enabling law, to regulate plastic utility and ensure sustainable management of plastic waste. A statement signed by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, ascertained that the government will also put in place a strategy for identifying and disseminating sustainable plastic waste management knowledge to the public. Bello said the strategy will outline modalities for disseminating plastic waste management knowledge to all stakeholders, through private and public sector communication channels, in user-friendly formats. The Commissioner maintained that effective plastic waste management is fundamental to the delivery of the State government's priority transformational agenda as laid down in the Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP) because it is a resource that can be managed to achieve economic, social, and environmental benefits. While emphasizing the need to involve the private sector in the initiative, the Commissioner said, “As a responsible and responsive Government, we will strictly be observant of the principle of partnership and citizens' buy-in”.
2019
September 21
In response to growing concerns about the amount of plastic waste entering the natural environment, harming wildlife and destroying ecosystems around the world, an estimated 70 percent of which ends up in the ocean, Nestlé has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Wecyclers to accelerate the recovery and recycling of plastic packaging waste after consumption in Lagos State. According to Mr. Mauricio Alarcon, Managing Director and CEO of Nestlé Nigeria expressed during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Lagos, Nigeria is experiencing a sharp increase in plastic pollution due to the growing use and indiscriminate disposal of single-use plastics, Alarcon said Nestlé intends to work with governments, NGOs, and other private sector and industry stakeholders to develop a circular plastic economy where plastic is effectively collected, recycled, and reused.
2018
August 11
Researchers have found that Lagos state generates 14,000 metric tons of solid waste every day-almost half of what is generated in the entire country. The Federal Department of Environment's National Agency for Environmental Regulation and Enforcement has joined other states in implementing policies in the beverage sector with recycling entrepreneurs such as Lavani and Amusa. In response to the policy, Coca-Cola, Nigerian Bottling Company, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Seven Up Bottling Company and Nigerian Breweries Plc created the Food and Beverage Alliance Recycling (FBRA) as a producer responsibility organization.
2014
March 27
The new scheme, for which there are high hopes, could change people's attitudes toward the trash around them by providing a financial incentive to recycle plastic bottles, bags, and tin cans. The "Wecyclers" project was the idea of Bilikiss Adebiyi, who visited her while studying for her Master of Business Administration in the United States. To date, the project has collected about 200 tons of waste from about 5,000 households, all on bicycles specially designed to carry large, colorful recycling bags. The distinctive feature of the "wecycles" transport is its advantage over the giant garbage trucks, which collect garbage only on the road near houses and businesses while the bicycles can run along the narrowest and most broken streets. Adebiyi says the potential reward for recycling in Nigeria is much more effective than the principle of environmental awareness. The collected waste is transported to a plot of land allocated by the Waste Management Authority in the Surulere work district, where it is sorted and then sold to recycling plants.