NESREA Defends Plastic Waste Regulations, Rejects Suspension Calls

Plastic Recycling  |  2026-06-23 07:59:19   |   By

The agency dismissed concerns that the regulations will lead to a blanket ban on single-use plastics.

Summary
  • NESREA rejected calls to suspend the Plastic Waste Control Regulations 2026, describing them as critical to tackling Nigeria’s growing plastic pollution challenge.
  • The agency clarified that the regulations do not impose a blanket ban on single-use plastics, with the 80-micron rule applying only to specific plastic bag categories.
  • Implementation will be phased, with recycled PET content requirements starting at 25% in 2028 and increasing to 50% by 2030.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Nigeria’s environmental regulator has defended the newly introduced Plastic Waste Control Regulations 2026. The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) said the regulations are essential to addressing the country’s growing plastic pollution crisis and advancing a circular economy. It rejected the calls by manufacturers to suspend the new regulations.

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NESREA noted that the regulations are not intended to harm industry but to promote responsible plastic waste management, recycling, and resource efficiency. Prof. Innocent Barikor, Director-General, NESREA, highlighted that the rules are designed to reduce environmental degradation, create green jobs, attract investment, and strengthen the country’s recycling sector.

The agency dismissed concerns that the regulations will lead to a blanket ban on single-use plastics. The 80-micron requirement applies only to specific plastic bag categories. Furthermore, the new regulation does not prohibit plastic packaging used in food, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, or logistics, it said.

Also, NESREA highlighted that implementation will be only in a phased manner. The minimum recycled PET content requirements will begin at 25% in 2028 and rise to 50% by 2030, it added.