Residents have been warned about the risks of plastic pollution of the ocean by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).
In a statement released on Friday in Lagos, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LAWMA, made the call.
By bagging and containerising their waste, homeowners should help the fight against plastic pollution, according to Odumboni.
He says that the careless disposal of plastics in the ocean and sea is dangerous to human health because some plastic chips end up in the bellies of fish.
“Plastic waste is a special type of waste because it takes about 450 years for a plastic material to decompose.
“Apart from clogging the landfills, it also endangers the life of fishes in the water.
“The numerous challenges posed by plastic pollution can be curtailed when we choose to do the right thing, which is sorting plastic for recycling and preventing the same from going into the water bodies,” Odumboni said.
The LAWMA CEO said that the agency had given its Marine Waste Unit powers to keep an eye on and remove trash from water bodies throughout the state, including seashores and canals.
He further stated that the drive to clean up the environment of garbage would not leave any area of the state behind.
“We have assigned our marine waste team to various locations in the metropolis.
“We have also equipped them with necessary tools to operate around water bodies and evacuate floating waste debris, especially plastics, which are toxic to aquatic life.
“With the support of the Lagos state government, we are making appreciable progress,” Odumboni said.
He advised locals to abstain from careless rubbish disposal in unapproved areas such as canals, gutters, road medians, and unfinished structures.
He continued by saying that such despicable behaviours exposed people to a range of health risks and environmental difficulties.
He asked locals to contact LAWMA at the toll-free numbers 07080601020 and 617 to report environmental violations and get information on matters pertaining to waste management.
