Enforcement of ban on single use plastic commences July 1 – Lagos

The Lagos State Government has said full enforcement of the ban on usage and distribution of Single Use Plastics (SUPs)will commence state-wide from July 1, 2025.

Kunle Adeshina, the Director Public Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources in a statement on Sunday said the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab spoke during a courtesy visit by management of TETRA PAK West Africa Limited, to Alausa Secretariat.

The commissioner said the state had been very strategic and intentional about the ban of Single Use Plastics (SUPs).

He said, “The decision to ban Single Use Plastics in Lagos since the beginning of 2025 was an existential decision which is the aftermath of several factors; Lagos being a coastal states below the sea level with the smallest land mass of 3,575 square kilometre of land with about 10% of the country’s population; That alone is a recipe for crisis. We did not just wake up whimsically and choose to ban styrofoam food packs in 2024”.

“When we announced the ban of styrofoam food packs in 2024, we also announced that in the next 12 months we are taking out all single use plastics; Within the space of almost 18 months now, we believe that we have given everyone the opportunity to transition: bearing in mind that enforcement did not commence since January this year, but we are going to start by July 1,2025 and heavens will not fall”.

Wahab explained that the state officials were engaging the Food and Beverages Recyclers Alliance (FBBRA) and about 70% compliance rate had been recorded.

He added that if government had conversations with FBBRA Members earlier in the year and after a 12 months cycle with an additional six months to allow the people get their bearing, then everyone concerned must to be fair to the state, stressing that it was a call for the responsibility of the extended producers to the state.

“When producers with due respect, seek to undermine the system and seek to do things that are not done in any civilised country, we must be insistent that the right things must be done by making them responsible” he added.

Wahab said anymore stressing that18 months was not enough for transition then was not serious about any transitioning.

“By July 1, 2025, we will start full enforcement of the ban on Single Use Plastics (SUPs) just the way we did for styrofoam food packs in Lagos States and we believe that this is reasonable enough.”

Speaking earlier, the Managing Director, Tetra Park West Africa Limited, Mr. Haithem Debbiche said the banning of usage on SUPs was a welcome development, adding Tetra Park fully support the ban of single use plastics in Lagos State.

He said Tera Park “is all about sustainability” and the organization has been in Nigeria since 1970 working together with various partners to make food safe and available to everyone regardless of their social economic class.