In commemoration of the World Environment Day (WED) 2023, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) gathered stakeholders in New Bussa, Niger State to raise awareness on the problems of plastic pollution and its negative impacts on the environment and biodiversity. The programme was themed, “Solutions to Plastic Pollution”.
NCF Field Project Coordinator, Mr. Ibrahim Likita told the participants that “NCF, as the leading voice in environment matters, joins millions around the world to celebrate the day to beat plastic pollution in New Bussa, Borgu LGA, Niger State. This is our way of contributing to the solution. We hope that our message will go beyond this place and this day so that more people can relate with it and act as expected”.
A lecturer at the Federal College of Wildlife Management, Mr. Kehinde Adelakun highlighted practical steps governments, businesses, and individuals needed to take to tackle plastic pollution. Highlights from his presentation included a brief history of WED and the importance of joining the global community in taking actions against the menace of plastic pollution which is the theme of this year’s event.
Baptist College, New Bussa emerged as the winner of a quiz competition and interactive session among schools, while Borgu Royal College and Mainstream Energy Solution School were runners up. The event ended with a three-kilometre awareness walk, where participants were led to pick plastic waste while displaying educative materials on the subject.
Eight schools from Borgu Local Government Area – Federal College of Wildlife Management, Government Day Secondary School Karabonde, Federal Government College, Borgu Royal College, First Baptist College, Borgu Science College, Hadiza Islamic Memorial College, and Mainstream Energy Solution Schools – featured in the programme.
Attendees were educated on the use of plastic alternatives like bioplastics. Reuse, reduction and recycling of plastics before they are considered as waste materials was also encouraged. Also highlighted was the need for proper disposal of plastic waste to curb pollution.
More than 430 million tons of plastic are produced every year worldwide, half of which single-use design, and of that, less than 10 per cent is recycled. An estimated 19-23million tones of plastics end up in lakes, rivers and sea annually, affecting both man and wildlife directly and indirectly. Plastic materials are non-degradable and contribute to the pollution of soil and water. This is often taken up by wildlife as microplastics or macroplastics especially in the aquatic environment. In some cases, these plastics end up harming wildlife physically.
WED is globally commemorated on 5th June to promote consciousness and raise awareness about the protection of the environment. The event held as part of the ongoing project, “Emergency Rescue of Nigeria’s Last Population of the West African Wildcats (lions and leopards)” at Kainji Lake National Park.
The project and event were sponsored by NCF/IUCN SOS.
