They were told not to bother about going to Ikoyi because Ikoyi was meant to be clean, but by the time they had spent three hours there, members of the Statewide Waste and Environmental Education Foundation (SWEEP) had picked up 136kg of plastic waste.
The clean-up is part of a new environmental sustainability initiative, titled ‘Waste In the City’ across key locations in Lagos State by the SWEEP Foundation.
The actions of the SWEEP Foundation are bolstered by a new partnership with the Coca-Cola Foundation who are funding the environmental sustainability initiative.
The President/CEO of SWEEP Foundation, Amb. Obuesi Phillips, in a chat on Thursday said, “The Foundation carries out a monthly plastic pick-up programme across the city of Lagos to recover plastics from the drainages, while encouraging citizens to desist from littering them with more plastics.”
The plastics gathered are given to off-takers who go ahead to recycle them.
Coca-Cola Foundation had awarded a grant to SWEEP Foundation to launch a new environmental sustainability initiative, titled ‘Waste In the City’ across key locations in Lagos State.
As part of the company’s commitment to fostering a waste-free world, the grant was awarded to the NGO to bolster efforts to reduce plastic pollution and engender a positive orientation towards environmental wellness practices.
Through this grant, the initiative will be rolled out across three local government areas within Lagos State comprising Surulere LGA, Coker-Aguda LCDA and Itire-Ikate LCDA.
Its implementation will include advocacy, deployment of waste collection receptacles and provision of sustainable livelihood for the youth across selected communities.
SWEEP Foundation will establish 100 pilot collection receptacles (drop-off centres) for the recovery of recyclable waste within Surulere LGA; Coker-Aguda and Itire-Ikate LCDA empowering 100 youths’ recyclers under this partnership.
Amb. Phillips Obuesi, said the Waste In The City initiative was borne out of a survey conducted by the Foundation.
