Lagos State will begin enforcing a ban on select single-use plastic products starting July 1.
Lagos State will commence enforcement of its single-use plastics (SUPs) ban on July 1, targeting specific items such as styrofoam food packs, polystyrene cups, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, and carrier bags thinner than 40 microns.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, clarified this in a Tuesday statement following what he described as “deliberate viral misrepresentations” suggesting a blanket ban.
“Our focus remains on styrofoam food packs, all forms of polystyrene (disposable) cups, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, and all single-use carrier bags and nylons with a thickness of less than 40 microns,” Wahab said in the statement signed by Director of Public Affairs, Kunle Adeshina.
The state also launched a Plastic Waste Management Fund to tackle pollution, funded by producers and importers.
“This is about environmental responsibility. We must protect our future and do what is right for the greater good,” Wahab said, stressing stakeholder accountability and noting that an 18-month moratorium allowed ample time to adjust.