Some traders in Lagos are lamenting the enforcement of the Lagos State Government ban on single use plastic on July 1.
The traders disclosed this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
The ban, prohibits the sale, and use of disposable plastic bags, including the widely used black nylon bags.
However, the policy has drawn criticism from market traders and plastic manufacturers, who claim that the ban was rushed without providing accessible or affordable alternatives.
Mr Tunde Adebayo, a manager at a plastic bag production facility at Costain area of the state, said the ban would most likely lead to the loss of jobs in the sector.
“This is our main business. If they stop plastic, what happens to our jobs? We employ over 40 staff. We’ve received no support or notice of alternatives from the government,” Adebayo said.
At Oyingbo market, where nylon bags are used daily to package perishable produce, like pepper, tomato, meat and vegetables, some traders say they were unaware of the ban or when it would takes effect.
Mrs Bimbo Adetola a trader for over 10 years at Oyingbo Market said she was unaware of the ban or its enforcement in July.
“I do not even know what I will use to wrap tomatoes or meat, what do they expect us to use when they are banning plastics without an alternative in place.”
“The government should bring another option first before they ban nylon bags,” Adetola said.
Also another trader simply known as Madam Ifeoma, said the traders would work their way around, in navigating what alternatives to use.
“If the ban the plastic nylons is enforced, we will try to manage what we have.
We cannot give the goods to our customers in their bare hands, it cannot work that way,” she said.
Also consumers and shoppers noted that they cannot afford alternatives to single use plastic yet.
As they claim biodegradable nylon bags are three times more expensive than regular nylon bags and many consumers cannot afford them.
A consumer known as Mr Abdul Musa said even paper bags as alternatives are not strong enough to accommodate most perishable produce.
“Even with the availability of paper bags, what do you expect the shoppers to do when it rains?
“If the government does not provide workable solutions and alternatives following the plastic ban, people will find a way to still engage in single use plastic in secret,” Musa said. (NAN)
