Deprecated: preg_match(): Passing null to parameter #2 ($subject) of type string is deprecated in /home/dailych1/public_html/wp-content/plugins/jetpack/jetpack_vendor/automattic/jetpack-image-cdn/src/class-image-cdn.php on line 682
By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
It has been estimated that 5 Trillion pieces of plastic wastes are laying on over 360 Million Square Kilometres land and ocean globally, with Africa constituting highest burden of plastic pollution.
This assertion was contained in a paper presented by an academic, Dr. Haruna Adamu, of the department of Environmental Management Technology of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, at a stakeholder engagement program and public lecture to commemorate World Environmental Day 2023, held on Monday 5th June, 2023 at Hazibal Hotel Conference Hall, Bauchi
The event, with the theme: “Solutions to Plastic Pollution”, was organised by Mennonite Economic Development Associate (MEDA), an Organization that is implementing Global Affairs Canada’s (GAC) funded Nigeria Youth Entrepreneurship and Women Empowerment (WAY) Project in collaboration with Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA).
In a paper presentation titled ‘Plastic Pollution and the Environment: Nigeria’s Untapped Waste Wealth to End Poverty”, the academic said, the amount and effect of plastic materials that wreak havoc on our natural environment, leading to long term devastation on plants, animals and humans is quite worrisome.
Dr. Adamu said plastic are synthetic materials produced by chemical reactions and that the chemical structure of most plastics renders them resistant to many natural processes of degradation and thereby pollute the environment.
Dr. Adamu said that currently both individuals and corporate bodies are adding large amounts of the unnatural materials into the environment, particularly agricultural soils, without understanding the long term effect of such actions.
In proffering solutions to the disturbing effects of plastic pollution in our environment, the university Don suggests that plastic wastes can be made into pellets and sell back to manufacturers as raw materials for new products.
He further suggested that plastic bank is another approach aim at turning poorest society into recycling entrepreneurs, that further serves as an avenue to clean up the environment and lift thousands of communities out of poverty across the country.
Earlier in a welcome address, Country Project Manager (CPM) of MEDA Nigeria WAY Project, Grace Fosen expressed her happiness at seeing an enthusiastic stakeholders at the venue of the event.
She said the program is aimed to create awareness on the devastating effects of plastic pollution on the environment and devise ways to mitigate such pollution that is threatening our natural environmental endowments in Bauchi State and the country at large.
She expressed her hope that after the day’s program, stakeholders invited will become ambassadors in championing the course of switching from plastics to a more environment friendly means like paper bags and other alternatives.
The event attracted over 100 participants from relevant state MDAs, international partners, members of the academia, professional bodies, CSOs and the media.
Highlights of the event was a plenary discussions that was centered on the paper presented by Dr. Haruna Adamu. The discussants include: Dr. Hassan Shehu Musa, a public health expert and HoD, standard quality assurance and enforcement department, National Health Insurance Authority, Bauchi office.
Others were Dr. Shehu Abdulkadir Zailani of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of ATBU, Bauchi and Habila Simon Danlami, the desk officer on waste management of BASEPA.
Featured Image Credit: Trong Nguyen/Shutterstock.com