WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: OGUN EMBARKS ON POLLUTERS’ PAY PRINCIPLE

 Ogun State Government says it will embark on "polluters pay principle’’, under the Extended Producer Responsibility Programme, whereby producers using non-degradable packaging materials like plastics and nylon, will assist government in waste management.

The Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Abiodun Abudu-Balogun revealed this while addressing newsmen at a press conference organised to mark this year's World Environment Day at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, with the theme, ’Biodiversity’, saying the commemoration was to sensitise the public on the need to protect the environment and create awareness on environmental issues, such as global warming and pollution.

"Given the finite capacity of waste to landfill, where plastics can stay for decades without degrading, the linear use of hydrocarbons via packaging and other short-lived applications of plastic is simply not sustainable", he said.

Hon. Abudu-Balogun hinted that the State government has engaged stakeholders in its waste management and cleanup plan, to reduce the surge of environmental pollution, in order to make waste management effective.

           He therefore urged stakeholders to work with government in bringing an end to the indiscriminate disposal of wastes across the State.