The director-general of NESREA, Dr. Innocent Barikor has emphasised that producers in the plastic and plastic packaging sector must participate in the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programme to help eliminate plastic pollution in the country.
Barikor made this statement through the assistant director of plastic pollution control, Engineer Chukwudi during a tour of plastic and plastic packaging companies in Lagos. This tour was part of the project titled “Accelerating a Circular Plastic Economy to Reduce Plastic Pollution and its Impacts in Africa,” supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The director-general explained that the tour, taking place in Kano, Lagos and Ogun states, is part of the activities aimed at developing an enforcement plan for the EPR programme and plastic regulations in Nigeria. He stated, “We want to assess stakeholders’ understanding of EPR implementation, gather firsthand information on plastic pollution management strategies in the respective states, and evaluate producers’ knowledge of their obligations, including the formation and subscription to producer responsibility organisations (PROs).”
Barikor urged producers to support the implementation of the EPR in their sectors as a strategy to reduce waste, boost employment opportunities, and promote a sustainable environment for all Nigerians.
