The Chairman of the Nigeria Environmental Society, Abeokuta chapter, Badmus Jamiu, has called on residents of the state to put an end to plastic pollution and its harmful effects on the environment.
The branch chairman made the call in a statement issued on Thursday to mark 2025 World Environment Day with the theme “Putting An End to Plastic Pollution”.
Jamiu said that although plastic is useful to human existence and serves as a source of livelihood to millions, its menace when it gets into the environment is hazardous as it stays longer and fails to degrade, resulting in untold environmental hazard.
Jamiu explained that plastic pollution also constitutes health risk particularly to aquatic life which would invariably come back to the society.
He commended the Ogun State Government’s Blue Box Programme, describing it as a practical initiative that residents should key into.
“So there is the need for residents of the state to put an end to plastic pollution by properly managing their plastic waste and embrace different government initiative such as the Blue Box Programme championed by the Ogun State government.
“Our people should also try as much as possible to separate plastics from their waste for onward sale to recyclers near them instead of mingling them with the normal waste thereby saving the environment of their hazards.”
While wishing the people of the state a peaceful and meaningful celebration, Jamiu called for policy enforcement to address indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste.
He also urged government agencies to intensify environmental education throughout the state.