Until Nigeria executes an alternative roadmap to single-use plastics, business interests may continue to clash with environmental cleanup efforts and delay progress in the implementation of the policy, writes ARINZE NWAFOR
The business community says the Federal Government’s proposed single-use plastics ban needs to be comprehensive, provide a framework that serves the country’s ecological and commercial needs, and address its job and revenue loss fears.
Businesses have preempted their vulnerability to the effects of the proposed ban, especially the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.
In a recent statement, MAN Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, outlined the impact of a nationwide ban on plastic supply chain businesses, including incurring operational costs as they “explore eco-friendly materials, redesign packaging formats and potentially invest in new manufacturing equipment.”
Ajayi-Kadir’s statement followed the Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Salako’s announcement on June 25, 2024, of a ban on single-use plastics in government offices as the first step in a nationwide ban set to commence in January 2025.
Before his June announcement, the PUNCH reported that on January 30, 2024, Salako said the ban was already enforced at the Federal Ministry of Environment and listed the ministry’s priority areas for promoting a circular economy.
Policy buildup
Legislation on plastics dates back to 2020 with the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management which aimed to not only “phase out Single-Use on-the-go Plastic Bags and Styrofoam (Micron > 30µ) effectively by December 2028” but to “ban four categories of single-use on-the-go plastics such as plastic bags, cutlery, Styrofoam, and Straws effectively from January 2025.”
Statistics from the Ministry of Environment to justify a ban on the four product categories listed in the documents included a “survey (which) estimated about 1.5 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated in Nigeria every year, and of these, “less than 30 per cent of such waste is collected for recycling.”
The policy also referenced a 2017 field survey on plastic waste generation in Nigeria which revealed packaging industries contributed 63 per cent, electrical and electronics contributed eight per cent, construction and demolition contributed five per cent, agriculture contributed two per cent, and non-packaging households and others contributed 18 per cent.
The environment ministry took a step further in policy and developed Nigeria’s Circular Economy Roadmap in 2021, with support from the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation.
According to the European Union-backed initiative, Switch to Green, the circular economy roadmap “sets out a comprehensive plan to transform Nigeria from a linear to a circular economy by 2050” by targeting sectors including agriculture and waste management.
The PUNCH reported the environment ministry was set to fully implement Nigeria’s circular economy roadmap in 2024 whose framework included a call for cross-sectoral collaboration and stakeholders’ engagement to ensure a successful transition.
Additionally, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency under its former boss, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, drafted the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations 2023 to “provide measures for the control and minimisation of pollution from the operations and ancillary activities in the plastic sector in the environment of Nigeria.” Acknowledging Lagos State’s January 21, 2024, ban on single-use plastics, particularly styrofoam, locally known as a takeaway pack, there has been ample legislation in the country.
Limited alternatives
However, businesses share a sentiment that the policy statements have largely issued deadlines and bans, and on occasion protested inadequate and unaffordable recycling technologies, and limited information on alternatives to single-use plastics, but failed to partner with the private sector through a more comprehensive and executed policy.
In the earlier-mentioned MAN statement, the advocacy group expressed the sentiment in more detail and predicted the proposed nationwide ban on single-use plastics could affect manufacturing, packaging, consumer goods, and healthcare businesses.
The MAN DG said, “The impending ban on single-use plastics will necessitate significant operational overhauls for companies within this sector. Manufacturers will be compelled to reconfigure their production processes to align with the new regulatory landscape.
“The shift towards sustainable materials will disrupt established supply chains. Companies will need to establish new partnerships with suppliers of alternative raw materials, potentially leading to increased costs and logistical challenges.
Ajayi-Kadir added, “The ban will have ripple effects on other industries. For instance, the logistics and transportation sectors may face challenges in handling and transporting alternative packaging materials. The waste management industry will experience changes in waste composition and recycling processes. Additionally, the retail sector will need to modify product offerings and packaging to comply with the ban.”
MAN also raised concerns for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises within the manufacturing sector noting they were vulnerable due to having limited resources and capacity to adapt to rapid regulatory changes.
“The closure of SMEs can have far-reaching consequences for local economies, as they contribute to job creation, tax revenue, and supply chain stability,” he asserted.
Manufacturers identified the financial implications of a nationwide ban, including the costs for new technology, employee training, potentially higher-priced raw materials, and time wasted from redesigning products to meet the environmental regulations.
MAN also accounted for the cost of legal undertakings it predicted would accompany the administrative landscape associated with the ban on single-use plastics and the penalties which non-compliance could attract.
Further, the advocacy group made a case for potential job losses within industries heavily reliant on single-use plastics production and distribution.
“Workers employed in the manufacturing, packaging, and sales of single-use plastics face the risk of unemployment as companies adapt to the new regulatory landscape,” Ajayi-Kadir remarked. “Factories unable to transition to alternative materials or absorb the associated costs may be forced to cease operations, leading to job losses and economic disruptions in affected regions.”
Need for balance
Without detracting from the interests of MAN, economists’ assessment of Nigeria’s environment elicited a balancing act of discourse between health concerns and economic reasons.
A former President of the Chartered Institute of Banking of Nigeria, Prof Segun Ajibola, reckoned that health concerns from the impact of single-use plastics which Nigerians dispose of discriminately trumped whatever shocks businesses may suffer from a ban.
Ajibola told The PUNCH the issues in contention were chiefly environmental, with regards to the blocking of drainages during flooding, and healthwise, as he advocated for better packaging as an economic lifeline.
He said, “About issues that constitute a nuisance to the environment; the way some of those (single-use plastic) items are used; and what we have seen in recent times, in terms of blockage of the drainage system and the flooding that we have seen: There is a need to be more careful.
“The other reason has to do with the health hazards that such single-use plastic) items pose to the city. You put these two together and weigh them against the economic implications of such a ban. To me, there should be another way to package materials, and you cannot easily compromise health.
The economist added, “If you ask me, I will say the impact on the environment and the health of the people should be given priority and the economic implications which I’m not sure will be too fundamental. But, whatever the case, there should be alternative ways of packaging items to overcome the economic issues.”
He insisted that Nigerians cannot afford to negotiate away the environmental impact of single-use plastics nor compromise health and the environment.
A Development Economist, Dr Terfa Abraham, offered a similar assessment to Ajibola’s as to the higher need to prevent plastic wastes from worsening floods, and he made a case for urgent government intervention in transitioning manufacturers from a linear economic model to a circular one.
Abraham drew reference from Lagos State and explained how a single-use plastics ban was helpful to ocean life, the environment and general health.
“The ban on single-use plastics in Lagos has a lot of advantages,” the economist said. “First of all, it will eliminate the effect of plastic waste on Lagos State. Plastics are the major component of waste in Lagos State. And these plastics are non-disposable. They take a lot of time to decompose. Some of them don’t decompose at all.
“They just remain on the ground forever. Some of them find their way into oceans, rivers and seas, even threatening ocean life. They affect the environment negatively, leading to blockages in the water systems that eventually lead to flooding which impacts health dangerously.”
Abraham observed that while many young men, women and children engage in the commercial venture of waste picking, it could not rid Lagos of its plastic waste deposit.
The development economist advised government partnership as the alternative for manufacturers, noting that “For manufacturers, the alternative is for the government to partner with them and see that their skill is transferred from producing single-use plastics consistent with a linear economy to producing plastics for a circular economy.
“The government should help them to move into a circular economy. Before the government has crystallised this policy, it should engage with them so that they can buy into it and learn how to transition into a circular economy,” he added.
Abraham told The PUNCH that the Federal Government’s aid to manufacturers transitioning into a circular economy where they only produce recyclable plastic products should also address macroeconomic challenges, including high interest rates and multiple taxation.
Case for alternatives
The MAN added a note of their findings on what a transition from single-use plastics would require and the practicality of alternatives, including bio-based plastics and other non-plastics.
The MAN DG, Ajayi-Kadir noted “The shift away from single-use plastics would necessitate the exploration and adoption of sustainable alternatives, (including) bio-based plastics, derived from renewable resources like corn starch or sugarcane (which) offer a promising avenue.
“These materials decompose more rapidly and have a reduced environmental impact compared to traditional plastics. Cloth bags, metal straws, and glass containers can effectively replace many single-use plastic items. While paper-based alternatives may seem like a viable option, it is essential to consider their environmental impact, including deforestation and water consumption,” he added.
Ajayi-Kadir motioned that manufacturers had weighed the alternatives and found that a transition would require investment in research and development and changes in consumer behaviour.
“Governments can play a vital role by providing incentives for businesses to invest in sustainable packaging solutions and by supporting the development of recycling and composting infrastructure. By embracing these strategies, we can move closer to a circular economy where waste is minimised, and resources are utilised efficiently,” he remarked.
Manufacturers called for a “comprehensive and strategic approach to achieve a successful transition” in which the government “must play a proactive role in facilitating a smooth transition for businesses and the general public.”
Some of the recommendations included a nationwide deployment of recycling collection sites, particularly in industrial clusters where plastic waste is concentrated, implementation of financial rewards or tax breaks for recyclers, research and development, public-private partnerships with companies specialising in sustainable materials and the development and commercialisation of eco-friendly solutions.
“Additionally, the government should provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to businesses, particularly SMEs, to help them adapt to the new regulatory environment. This includes offering training on sustainable packaging design and waste management practices,” Ajayi-Kadir added.
PPP as option
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Titilayo Oshodi, identified a phase-by-phase framework of plastic waste regulations as a more suitable approach concerning businesses in the plastics value chain.
Oshodi campaigned for alternatives, particularly in Lagos, commenting, “I think we need to put more effort into establishing alternatives for the stoppage of styrofoam. And we’ve already started to drive a lot of education and advocacy through the power of economic empowerment for our citizens. And that’s essentially where the principle of circular economy comes in.
According to the Lagos State governor’s climate adviser, manufacturers can rest assured that they will continue to produce plastic bottles as the Nigerian economy has not reached the level where “we are obliterating plastic or we’re obliterating bottles.”
However, Oshodi noted that manufacturers of items sealed with PET bottles could engage in more sustainable production through recyclables.
“Even in the West, you will still find Coca-Cola and plastic bottles as packages for products, right? Coca-Cola at this point has even started to reproduce. Coca-Cola and Nestle have begun to reproduce and have a lesser poly-level of plastic. You will find that those bottles are becoming very, very light.
“They are not as thick as they used to be. They are working on their production along with global expectations and quality classifications concerning the climate and our environment. So the role of government is to continue to drive that advocacy that in the process of production, sustainability and circular procurement have to be infused into that model of production.
“At the time that they are designing these items, these packages, they need to infuse the components of sustainability into it,” she added.
Oshodi highlighted that governmental regulation of single-use plastics was not meant to hurt businesses, as she commented “You will agree with me that these are manufacturers that are huge employers of labour. We do not want to churn the competencies, the skills and the landscape of opportunities for jobs that are already existential.
“We do not want to have them (businesses) turned down or we do not want them nosediving. So what we need to do is have a model for the recovery of those bottles. So as long as you are producing and there is a collection model to recover the packages that go into the communities; that is how circular economy comes in,” she added.
Recycling in Nigeria
There are businesses in the recycling value chain and The PUNCH have learned they are growing by the day. They are responsible for picking up and recycling the large portion of plastic bottles littered across the country, especially in Lagos State.
One of the recycling businesses is Greenhill Recycling based in the suburbs of Lagos State, and according to the CEO Marian Lawani, what was missing in the conversation between the government’s environmental regulatory efforts and the businesses in the plastics value chain was a phased approach to the ban and a limitation of private-public understanding.
“What I think is missing is a phased approach to single-use plastics ban,” Lawani said. “Now, understand that the single-use plastics were banned, especially in Lagos with the styrofoam, because the government thought that there wasn’t any solution to it.
“But it’s interesting to note that BASF (a multinational recycling company with a presence in Nigeria) recycles those styrofoam. So I think what the missing link is, is an understanding, a clear understanding between the government and the people.”
Lawani observed that it would be beneficial if the government carried industry players along and consulted with them as policies were being drafted and/ or implemented.
“If proper consultation was being done, they probably would have discovered that there is a solution to Styrofoam (recycling),” she asserted.
Lawani acknowledged the effort of the Lagos State government in pushing out different initiatives to encourage recycling especially as it prosecutes its ban on styrofoam.
She noted that recyclers have worked more with PET bottles thus increasing the value placed on them since the Lagos State government’s ban on single-use plastics came into place.
She remarked, “You barely see plastic bottles on the streets now, even in the gutters, because the value has increased. There are players, very mighty players (PET bottling companies) who have been invested in all of this. What they are now trying to do is to ensure that their packaging is 100 per cent recyclable. That is why you will see a Coke, for example, move from a green Sprite bottle into a clear Sprite bottle.
“Why? Because clear and light blue bottles have a higher recyclability than all those other dark colours, you know, black colours, brown, and all these other funny colours. Plastic itself is not the problem. In more advanced countries, they still have plastic bottles but they have developed a better way to dispose of them.”
Lawani, just like other recyclers based in Lagos, is a member of the Lagos Recyclers Association, a business advocacy group, led by Dr Fremi Idowu-Adegoke, who explained to The PUNCH that manufacturers had a broader responsibility in the circular economy beyond being at the receiving end of government regulation.
Idowu-Adegoke said, “Manufacturers are responsible for the lifecycle of their packaging material” as he explained that every stream of recyclables presently has a unique Producer Responsible Organisation which oversees the recycling chain for their dedicated plastic and engages in green advocacy.
“The food and beverage organisation has the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance. As of today, I know that they have about 35 to 39 members, which comprise food and beverage companies like Coca-Cola, Nestle, 7-Up and other manufacturers who produce other food and beverages or who use any kind of food packaging material, like ketchup packs, cans, aluminium cans.
“What they do is they contribute to one pot, a fund, to support recycling collections, recycling education, advocacy, collection,” he continued.
Idowu-Adegoke explained there was an interconnection across the recycling ecosystem which involved manufacturers, (waste) collectors, aggregators, preprocessors, processors and consumers.
The LAGRA president encouraged consumers to contribute to Nigeria’s green economy by responsibly separating plastics, which he called ‘At-the-source separation.’
He said, “For example, you use PET bottles in your house, and that’s why we’re encouraging separation at source for recyclables. So, if you use PET bottles at home, you separate them. You don’t get them mixed up with other materials like oil or get thrown into the drains.
“They are not found in the gutters. So, if you separate them separately, they will still be very, very clean. So, that clean one can go through that process of our PET, and then you can have a food-grade material that will be put back into the new production, which supports the extended producer responsibility.”
The LAGRA president said the recyclers association was a three-year-old organisation of 165-member companies and in partnership with other recycling associations, including the Association of Waste Pickers in Lagos (also known as Urban Miners), Association of Carton Recyclers, uptakers, students and other Non-Governmental Organisations.
Idowu-Adegoke explained that the recycling value chain was banding up to grow Nigeria’s circular economy, as opposed to their working separately, especially with the organisation of waste managers in the Private Sector Partnership programme affiliated with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority.
“Lagos Recycling Association is a big umbrella for everyone who participates in the recycling ecosystem in Lagos State,” he said. “This number of industry players is sufficient and we are growing. In the past, everybody was working in silos, but that has changed in the last couple of years now. Right now, there’s a lot of partnership and collaboration.
Punitive measures
The Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Chinyere Almona, stated that manufacturers and other businesses in the plastics value chain need more time to prevent an economic blowback with the passage of a nationwide proposed ban on single-use plastics.
“These are companies that employ a lot of people and the populace enjoy their products. If we focus on the punitive side of things, we lose out on the innovative side. We need to balance it.
“Therefore, if you get them to invest and innovate in ways that can take on the harmful effects on the environment, then that’s more positive for everybody. But if you ban outright without looking at the business side of things, then you harm the industry, you harm the companies, and then that will affect employment and affect all the other things going forward.
Almona cautioned that governmental statements and policy steps on providing alternatives to single-use plastics should be backed by commensurate execution.
“The point is with public policy, there needs to be a focus on execution and implementation. That’s what I don’t see generally. On this particular issue, I can’t speak for the minister, but there needs to be more accountability.“If about six months ago he (Minister of Environment) said he will (aid manufacturers with providing alternatives), then today he needs to tell us what he has done. That level of accountability needs to be put in place,” she concluded.