World Environment Day and Menace of Plastic,Polythene containers
World Environment Day is celebrated yearly on June 5 all over the world.
It is celebrated to raise awareness and encourage action for protection of our planet.
Available records said that it was first established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972,and since then,over 150 countries participated in various activities to celebrate it.
The theme of this year’s outing is,”Together we can beat plastic pollution” with the hashtag, #beatplasticpollution.
As the civilised world directs attention to the menace of plastics and other sundry materials to the environment,it is necessary to create the necessary awareness on the meaning of the word “Environment” and how it affects everyone including animals and the likes.
“Environment is everything that is around us.It can be living or non living things.It include physical,chemical,and other natural forces.Listed as the four types of environment are,the atmosphere or air,lithosphere,or rocks and soil,hydrosphere,or water,and the biological component of the environment,or biosphere,” according to Google.
From the above,it is very clear that our environment is not only very important but must be preserved for the good of all.
That is the reason the United Nations General Assembly reserved June 5 every year,as World Environment Day to focus and amplify enlightenment on the need for better environment.
While focusing on the menace of plastics, polythene and the likes,it is high time sufficient attention was paid to the menace of plastics and polythene products by various governments.
Plastic bottles used as water cans and soft drinks,pure water sachets and sundry plastic containers are posing great danger to humanity,animals and aquatic life.
For instance,owing to non-degradable nature of the plastics and polythene,users of the items drop them carelessly and litter same everywhere.They block drainages and are generally unsightly.
Polythene wastes pose great threat to farming as they prevent proper growth of crops and application of fertilizer to crops.
Also,the disposal of plastic bottles and polythene into streams and rivers affect survival of fishes as most of the fishes swallow the polythene and die.
It is reported that about 60 million pure water sachets are disposed daily across the nation and as such exposes the nation to future environmental crisis.
In effort to stem the menace of plastics on the environment,multilateral organisations like UNIDO and UNDP were said to have provided funds in some states of Nigeria to tackle the menace but little or nothing was achieved out of it.Evidences abound that the funds were not properly used.
Plastic and sachet water pollution is made worse by the fact that there are no recycle plants or organised dump-sites in most parts of the country.
Professional evacuation of refuse to help eliminate plastic pollution remains a nightmare as scavengers rather than officials take control of few dump-sites.
The developed world does not see anything as a waste anymore as plastics can be recycled for better use.
The federal and state governments of Nigeria should bring up the policy on issues of such importance and develop a framework for it’s workability.
Part of the framework should be how to minimise use of plastics and go for bio-degradable products lest the country finds itself in a bigger plastic pollution quagmire in the near future.
Creation of awareness at federal,state and local government levels is key to achieving this objective.
In all,only Political Will by the ruling class can change this ugly development.
