World Environment Day: NES Warns Ogun Residents Against Plastic Pollution
As the world marks World Environment Day 2025, the Nigeria Environmental Society (NES) has issued a stern warning to Ogun State residents: Plastic pollution is no longer a nuisance it’s an environmental crisis.
Speaking on the theme “Putting an End to Plastic Pollution”, the Chairman of NES, Abeokuta Chapter, Alhaji Badmus Jamiu, called for urgent collective action to reduce plastic waste before it overwhelms the ecosystem.
“Plastics are not just litter,” Jamiu said in a statement released Thursday. “They’re long-lasting, non-degradable pollutants that pose serious threats to both human and environmental health. The plastic bottle you throw away today may still be here in 300 years.”
While acknowledging that plastics have become essential to modern life providing jobs, packaging, and convenience Jamiu emphasized that their indiscriminate disposal is silently but steadily poisoning the planet.
A Silent Killer in the Water
He specifically warned about the impact of plastics on marine and aquatic life, describing it as a ticking time bomb that could backfire on society.
“The plastics in our gutters, rivers, and drains don’t disappear. They break down into microplastics that enter the food chain and eventually, our own bodies,” he cautioned.
Jamiu’s comments come at a time when Nigeria generates an estimated 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with only a fraction recycled. The rest ends up clogging drainage channels, polluting water bodies, and creating health hazards in urban and rural communities alike.
Commends State Efforts, Urges Greater Participation
The NES chairman praised the Ogun State Government’s Blue Box Programme a waste separation and recycling initiative calling it a “practical and commendable step” in addressing the issue. However, he stressed that without public participation, the programme would fall short of its potential.
“Our people must learn to separate plastics from their general waste. These plastics can be sold to recyclers creating income while also saving the environment.”
Jamiu called on local residents to embrace recycling as not just a government responsibility, but a civic duty. He also urged the government to go beyond awareness and enforce strict policies against the indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste.
Policy Without Enforcement Is Just Talk
“We can’t continue to treat plastic pollution with kid gloves,” Jamiu said. “Until we start enforcing environmental laws, we’ll keep waking up to floods, blocked drainages, and polluted rivers all caused by our own irresponsibility.”
As he wished Ogun residents a peaceful World Environment Day celebration, Jamiu left a clear message: The environment doesn’t need more speeches it needs action.
Reference
World Environment Day: NES Warns Ogun Residents Against Plastic Pollution