Environmental Groups Call for Collective Action to Curb Plastic Pollution

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The “Beat Plastic Pollution” event organized by the Environmental and Economic Resource Centre (EERC) in Nigeria expressed concerns about the harmful impacts of plastic pollution and called for immediate collective action to tackle the crisis.

Ronke Adeniyi, EERC’s Programme Manager and Agronomist highlighted the urgent need for joint efforts to address environmental challenges. Plastic pollution, especially from single-use plastics, is not just an environmental threat, but often leads to life-threatening crises, she said. Plastic waste often lead to blocked drainage systems, which are identified as the main cause of flooding in the country, she added.

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Adeniyi stated that the consequences of plastic pollution are visible in everyday life. A collective effort by individuals, communities, industries and the government is required to effectively address plastic pollution.

EERC called for adoption and localisation of successful strategies from other regions, such as Rwanda’s nationwide ban on single-use plastics and the European Union’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework, which holds producers responsible for dealing with plastic waste. A collaborative effort to implement and promote innovative recycling initiatives would make a huge positive impact, it said.