The Lagos State Government has clarified details of its impending ban on single-use plastics (SUPs), confirming that popular items like pure water sachets, PET bottles, and nylon carrier bags thicker than 40 microns are not affected by the policy.
This was made known on Tuesday in a statement by Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, who addressed what the government described as “deliberate viral misrepresentations” circulating online about the scope of the ban.
Wahab reaffirmed that the policy, scheduled for enforcement from 1 July 2025, remains targeted at specific plastic products.
“Our focus remains on styrofoam food packs, all forms of polystyrene disposable cups, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, and single-use carrier bags and nylons thinner than 40 microns,” the commissioner clarified in the statement signed by Kunle Adeshina, Director of Public Affairs for the ministry.
To strengthen its plastic waste management drive, the state also inaugurated the Plastic Waste Management Fund, a collaborative platform involving the government, producers, and Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs). The fund, financed through contributions from producers and major importers, will be deployed to tackle Lagos’ growing plastic waste problem.
Speaking further, Wahab emphasized that the state had provided an 18-month moratorium—starting January 2024—to enable stakeholders transition smoothly to environmentally-friendly alternatives.
“This is about environmental responsibility,” Wahab stated in a separate message on Monday. “We’ve given ample time to align with global best practices. What is unacceptable elsewhere cannot become standard in Lagos.”
The commissioner drew parallels with the successful styrofoam ban enforcement earlier in the year, vowing to hold businesses and individuals accountable in this next phase.
In September 2024, the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), working with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), destroyed over ₦5 million worth of seized styrofoam packs in Epe and other parts of the state, reinforcing the government’s zero-tolerance policy.
At the federal level, the government has also stepped up its anti-plastic campaign. In June 2024, the Federal Executive Council approved a ban on single-use plastics across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), with a nationwide policy targeting a broader SUP phase-out by January 2025.
The Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Salako, noted that plastic waste significantly contributes to flooding, drainage blockages, marine pollution, and public health risks, underscoring the urgency of the policy.
As Lagos gears up for enforcement, the government is urging residents, businesses, and producers to comply, warning that violators will face strict sanitation.
