PLASTIC WASTE AMENDMENT POLICY BRIEF

The Nigerian National Policy on Plastics Management prepared and published in January 2020 was prepared to regulate and control the use of plastics in the Nigeria nation. As Nigeria is a party to the Basel Convention (BC) ratified in May 2004 and the nation is therefore obliged to implement the plastic waste amendments already adopted by BC and took effect on 24/03/20. Hence the ‘‘national policy on plastics waste management’’ was expected to be based upon the Basel Convention guidelines as well as any adopted amendments on plastics especially to ensure the transposition of the “best practice’’ Basel Convention on plastic waste amendments into the national law. The intent of this policy brief is to examine the Nigeria National policy framework and compare with the expectations of the BC Amendments towards identifying gaps in the Nigeria Policy document. Essentially it undertook the review of the current national policy on plastic waste management in Nigeria and its proposed action plans with a view of producing a gap analysis in conformance with the Basel Convention Amendments on plastic waste (Annexes II, VIII and IX to the Convention).

LEAD IN PAINT STUDY BY SRADEV NIGERIA

The lead-in paint research started as far back as 2008 where the “Global Study to Determine Lead in Paints in 10 Developing Countries and Associated Campaign for its removal” was published by the organization. This research study was executed in conjunction with Friends of the Environment (FOTE). A sister organization focused on environmental related issues. Read the publication here…

IPEN-NIGERIA LEAD REPORT V1

Following this research study, a much more detailed study was conducted and published in 2017 by SRADev. This study was in partnership with International Pollutant Elimination Network (IPEN) who published the report on its platform. Read Publication here…..

BASELINE REPORT ON LEAD IN PAINT ELIMINATION CAMPAIGN

As part of the GEF Project 9771: Global best practices on emerging policy issues of concern under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), The Paint Market Information on the situation of the present demand of paints to determine the extent of the leaded paints in the market was studied again in 2019.

BLOOD LEAD REPORT

In Nigeria, over 110,000 tons of used lead-acid batteries (ULAB) are generated in Nigeria annually from automotive batteries and alternative energy battery systems according to the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of Nigeria (REDIN). These ULABs are not normally managed in an environmentally sound way. The country does not have a regulatory policy framework to controls the entire management process including, transportation, storage, recycling, processing, and exportation of used lead-acid batteries ². The unsound management practice is becoming a concern to the environment and population health following the devastating occurrence of lead poisoning incidences in Zamfara and Niger states.

Read full report here … here

DENTAL AMALGAM

Amalgam was a subject of full debate at the Minamata Convention.  The final decision made four points clear.  Firstly, nations must phase down amalgam use.  Secondly, each nation must take action, not at some future date like 2020 or 2025, but at once (to some nations, the signing; to others, the ratification – but in many Africa nations, the intention is to begin now).  Thirdly, by grouping amalgam with other products instead of as waste, the focus is on the reduction of use and transition to alternatives.  Fourthly, by placing amalgam in the annex, the Convention remains open-minded to accelerated action in the future based on the Convention’s experience in its early years.

Read full report here .. here

DENTAL AMALGAM COMPENDIUM

Dental amalgam is a tooth filling material that is approximately 50mpH mercury, a highly polluting neurotoxin. Nations around the world are working to phase down – and ultimately phase-out – amalgam use. This is chiefly due to the fact that dental mercury pollution is significant, mercury-free dental restorations are available, and the fact that the Minamata Convention on Mercury requires the phase-down of dental amalgam use. Similarly, the West African Summit on Phasing out Amalgam was held in Abuja, Nigeria on 20^th May 2014, bringing together NGO leaders from ECOWAS nations of Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania, etc. who adopted the Abuja Declaration for Mercury-Free Dentistry for Africa. The Declaration’s aim is that Africa shall be the first continent to phase out amalgam.

Read full report here .. here

LEAD ACID RECYCLING PROJECT IN NIGERIA

Lead batteries are one of the most recycled products in the world and if they are processed at environmentally-sound recycling plants can transform the industry to become an exemplary sustainable enterprise. Lead battery manufacturing consumes more than 80 percent of global lead production and is growing rapidly along with the demand for vehicles, backup power for cell phone transmissions, computer server farms, uninterrupted power supplies (UPS), storage for solar and wind energy, and other applications.

Read full report.. here

GAIA WORKSHOP COMMUNIQUE

The GAIA Nigeria group adopted this national communique after the 3 days workshop on addressing plastic pollution in Nigeria held in Lagos.

SCOPING AND BASELINE ASSESSMENT FOR A “WASTE TO WEALTH” INTERVENTION IN EDO AND NORTHERN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Community Action to Reduce the Pollution Load of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and Other Toxic Effluents into Lagos Lagoon, Lagos State

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are substances that have low water solubility, persist in the environment, are lypophilic, capable of long-range transport, bio-accumulate in living organisms and may produce toxic effects. Most POPs are organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and represent long-term dangers as they biomagnify up the food chain. Humans and particularly breastfed babies are at the top of the food chain. These pesticides have been banned in some developing countries but are still being used e. g. DDT is used to control malaria in some developing countries such as Nigeria. The Lagos lagoon is a large expanse of water that is bound by various anthropogenic activities and human settlements. It is therefore a sink for various wastes including POPs from diverse sources.
Eighteen POPs (OCPs residues) – mecoprop, atrazine, 2, 4 – Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), carbofuran, dibromochloropropane (DBCP), pentachlorophenol, fenoprop, alachlor, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxybutyric Acid (2,4-DB), metolachlor, lindane, chlorpyrifos, Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), aldrin, endrin, chlordane, endosulfan, dieldrin were found from the analysed water, sediment, fish, soil, egg and human breast milk (HBM). The water, sediment, fish, soil and egg samples were collected from selected areas Ilaje, Okobaba, Iddo and Apapa communities while Human Breast Milk (HBM) samples were collected from hospital patients in selected areas (Ebute Metta and Ibeshe) of the Lagos Lagoon based on their proximity to anthropogenic activities that could result in the deposition of these pollutants into the lagoon. The analysis was carried out using gas chromatograph with pulsed flame photometric detector (GC-PFPD).

SCENARIO REPORT ON THE LAGOS LAGOON

STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT OF THE STATUS OF POPS PESTICIDES TRADING IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

The Africa Stockpiles Program (ASP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at cleaning up obsolete chemicals stockpiles, preventing future toxic threats, and protecting human health and the environment. The program was commenced in 2000 with the support of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Pesticide Action Network (PAN) and to be implemented over 10-15 years to tackle pesticide pollution through the clean-up and disposal of over 50,000 tonnes of obsolete pesticide waste stockpiled across the African continent. Nigeria is one of the seven countries participating in the first phase of the ASP program. This $2.29 million program has multi-donor funding with Nigeria providing counterpart funding of $380,000. The objective of N-ASP is to reduce the risk of obsolete pesticides to humans and the environment through clean-up and preventive measures and is premised on creating awareness of adverse effects of obsolete chemicals stockpiles, inventory of obsolete stockpiles, destruction of obsolete stockpiles, and prevention of stockpiles.

STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT OF THE STATUS OF POPS PESTICIDES TRADING IN SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA

Despite the ban on certain categories of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), these substances are still common in the markets, utilized in various locations in the society, and are considered potential threats to the environment and health of the population. The broad objective of this study was to assess factors contributing to the build-up of pesticide stockpiles; their distribution and consumption pattern and to identify strategies for their effective control and management.

The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey that involved the utilization of questionnaires, an observation checklist, and in-depth interviews. The pilot phase of the study focused on four out of the five South Western States in Nigeria namely Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, and the Oyo States. A total of 827 questionnaires were administered in the four study areas as follows: Lagos (110), Ogun (75), Ondo (500), and Oyo (142). The questionnaire sought information from respondents (individual and corporate) on awareness regarding POPs Pesticides, sources of POPs pesticides, trading and use pattern, health and environmental impact, existing regulatory policies and control measures, and level of adoption of alternatives to POPs pesticides. Five structured questionnaire types were designed to elicit information from the five main identified classes of respondents viz: General public, Importers, Distributors/Retailers, Users and Regulators as it relates to POPs issues. Interviews were carried out by means of consultations with different units in relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Forestry, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Universities/Research Institutions, Farmers groups, and the Nigerian Customs Service, among other relevant organizations. Visits were scheduled to border posts, agrochemical dealers/marketers shops, sawmills, and agricultural farms for physical inspections using the observation checklist designed for assessing POP Pesticides trading. Questionnaire information was entered into computer and data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results were presented in simple frequencies and percentages. In some cases, results were presented graphically to illustrate some significant outcomes.

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ENHANCING LOCAL PESTICIDE STORAGE CAPACITY TO SUPPORT THE NIGERIA-ASP PREVENTION COMPONENT IN ONDO, ANAMBRA, AND KANO STATES.

Pesticide use in Nigeria has been on the increase ever since its introduction in the early fifties. It has been estimated that about 125,000 – 130,000 metric tons of pesticides are applied annually in Nigeria (Ikemefuna, 1998). However, more than thrice this quantity is being imported into the country every year. So, there has been an accumulation of large quantities of pesticides. The Nigeria-Africa Stockpiles Programme aims to clean up and safely dispose of all obsolete stocks from Nigeria and establish preventive measures to guide future accumulation. Some of the most visible and significant stockpiles of pesticides are stored in large, centralized pesticide stores across the states. This is as a result of emergency procurement of products to deal with locust and other pest invasions in the recent past. Pesticide stocks are essential requirements of modern society that need to be managed properly in order to achieve a sustainable level of agriculture and industrial development, and a high level of environmental and human health protection has to be put into consideration. The storage of these substances may cause direct exposure to workers in poorly maintained stores and the general public where access is unrestricted. The unwanted build-up of these substances is due to inadequate stock management, uncoordinated or inappropriate supply from donor agencies, unsuitable packaging, and non-distribution to the farmers. Despite the ban on certain categories of pesticides, these substances are still common in the markets and storehouses in the country. The public is likely to be exposed to pesticides through the use of empty pesticides containers, inadequate storage, handling, and inefficient methods of usage, disposal by smallholders of stocks. The Nigeria-ASP however has no plan to train peasants and other local stakeholders on store management in its post inventory, pre, and post-disposal arrangements. The Nigerian government needs to invest more in the skills required to interpret scientific and technical data, and use them to make a sound local risk assessment in order to implement regulations. Most users of pesticides in the country have a limited perception of the risks and oftentimes have high acceptance of risk due to competing priorities essential for their survival, hence it becomes crucial to increase the level of awareness on sound pesticide management in the interest of public health. It is against this backdrop, that Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria), an active member of the NGO network (NASPIN), secured this PAN ASP fund to undertake the “Strategic planning for enhancing local pesticide storage capacity to support the Nigerian-ASP prevention component”.