Combatting plastic pollution: How behavioral changes can address impact of a growing population and climate change on plastic industry
The use of plastic has become ubiquitous in modern society, with the material finding its way into everything from packaging and consumer goods to automotive and medical applications.
However, as the population continues to grow and the planet faces the impacts of climate change, the plastic industry is facing increased scrutiny for its role in pollution and waste. While we expect the government to create and enforce policies that will help curb this menace, it is also important for individuals to make changes in their own behaviour to reduce their plastic usage. Consumers have the power to make a difference and should strive to do so in order to protect our planet and its inhabitants.
The Nigerian Plastic Business
The Nigerian plastic business industry is a massive employer of labour, which significantly contributes to the country’s GDP. The Plastics value chain comprises all the processes and phases in the life cycle of a plastic product, from the extraction of raw material to the production and distribution phase and the eventual disposal. Typically, there should be an increase in the worth of plastic when it is processed via each successive step of the manufacturing process. However, the value chain of plastic is linear, with over 80% of plastics not being recycled. These plastics are usually dumped into terrestrial and marine habitats annually, presenting severe threats to marine life and the environment.
People who are part of the plastic value chain in Nigeria are those who make plastic raw materials, polymers, compounders, packaging, wholesalers, vendors, used plastic collectors, and recycling agencies. The different kinds of plastic products, how they are used, and how they are treated at the end of their lives complicate the value chain and the number of different stakeholders. Nigeria ranks as the second-highest consumer of plastics on the African continent. Over the last 25 years, Nigeria has imported over 20 million tonnes of raw plastic and other plastic products, accounting for 17% of all plastic used on the continent. Nigeria imports the most polyesters, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride. These aggregations make up about 75% of all the raw and finished plastics brought into the country. If things keep going as usual, the amount of plastics imported and used is projected to reach 40 million tonnes or more by the year 2030.
More than 3,000 industries have the capacity to produce more than 100,000 tonnes of plastic per year. From 1996 till date, Nigerian companies have imported more than 6 million tonnes of raw olefins and polypropylene. Manufacturers of cable sheaths, wires, pipes, plastic curtains, artificial leather items, and food packs imported more than 1 million tonnes of polyvinylchloride for use. A total of 290,000 tonnes of polystyrene was delivered to produce single-use domestic materials within the same period. From 2009 to 2015, 2.3 million tonnes of raw plastic was produced in Nigeria. In addition to being able to process plastic, Nigeria was ranked third out of eight African countries with a lengthy history of producing plastic resin.
The average amount of plastic garbage in Nigeria is difficult to estimate. For places like Lagos, estimates range from 7.5 kg per person per year to 45 kg per person per year. On the other hand, Nigerians are using more plastic than in the past. Almost 850,000 tonnes of plastic garbage are not properly disposed of every year. Plastics are commonly disposed of by depositing them in landfills or burning them openly. Both methods result in cause soil damage and air pollution due to the presence of plasticizers and flame retardants in some plastics. Not only can open dump sites contaminate the environment, but items like plastic bags, Styrofoam, and straws are easily blown away from these sites due to their lightweight. As a result, they are prone to winding up in bodies of water. These account for a more significant proportion of marine litter than plastic bottles.
An excess of 130,000 tonnes of plastic waste finds its way into water bodies within Nigeria every year. Consequently, Nigeria is considered one of the top 20 countries for dumping rubbish into the ocean. One reason for the poor recycling rate is that recyclers do not frequently seek most forms of plastic garbage. Since such plastic, like polystyrene, foam and polymers, do not appear recyclable in their locality, they account for a greater proportion of the plastic waste that individuals locate and discard. Nigeria was ranked as the 9th highest contributor of plastic to the ocean in 2010; such indices can only get worse if nothing is done to mitigate the problem sustainably.
Detrimental Impact of Poorly Managed Plastic Waste
The detrimental impact of plastic waste, the majority of which is single-use plastic, on the environment and human health is of particular concern. Conventional plastic contains various chemical compounds that might cause cancer, endocrine disruption, or other hazardous effects on humans, animals, plants, soil and air. Toxic chemicals, such as pesticides, solvents, and industrial chemicals, can bond to plastic particles and infiltrate the food chain through terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Such contaminants bio-accumulate within human tissue, causing chronic illnesses or eventual death. Microplastics, which are minute and fine particles created by years of plastic breakdown, are pervasive. They can travel through the ecosystem and poison the food chain. Plastic degradation requires over 100 years; consequently, these contaminants can remain in the ecosystem for an extended time. Poor waste management on land will make plastic pollution in the ocean worse since it is thought that about 80% of the plastic in the ocean comes from land.
Plastic waste greatly affects the health of the environment and humanity. The unethical disposal techniques exacerbate the impacts by releasing chemicals into the environment through burning or escaping landfill leachates. Like many other nations, Nigeria is experiencing more flooding during the rainy season due to higher precipitation resulting from climate change. It is stated that most floods in Nigeria are anthropogenic, as they are linked to poor urban practices and a lack of infrastructure. People’s casual attitude of dumping waste everywhere adds to the blockage of drainage routes and rivers; another factor might be the non-availability of drainage.
Dealing with plastic pollution is crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically goals 6, 11, 12, and 14, which cater to ensuring access to water and sanitation; creating safe, resilient, and sustainable cities; ensuring that consumption and production patterns are sustainable conservation; and sustainable use of ocean, sea, and marine resources. It is generally agreed that addressing environmental challenges towards sustainable development and coping with the global population explosion needs a multidimensional approach that integrates social, economic, and environmental elements.
