<
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/12/13/finding-a-fix-nigerian-women-lead-drive-to-upcycle-plastics>
"Lagos, Nigeria — For years, Maryam Lawani was really pained when it rained.
She lived in the Oshodi Isolo area of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital,
where canals often overflow messily into the streets during downpours.
Additionally, she was always struck by the huge amount of plastic waste on the
streets after the rains receded and how this in turn affected mobility or even
made the roads deteriorate. After even a little rain in Lagos, the streets get
muddy and potholes brimming by the side with broken plastics, gin sachets, pure
water nylons, used diapers and other items.
“I felt a strong need to prevent climate crises as a response to a personal
pain point,” she told Al Jazeera. So she began to research the recurring
problem and then discovered that plastic pollution was a global issue.
According to the United Nations, on average, the world produces 430 million
tonnes of plastic every year; wrappers for chocolate bars, packets and plastic
utensils. And there are consequences; every day, the equivalent of over 2,000
garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into water bodies. As a result,
plastic pollution is set to triple by 2060 if no action is taken.
UN reports also say that Nigeria generates about 2.5 million metric tonnes of
plastic waste annually. Of that, over 130,000 tonnes of plastic make their way
into water bodies, putting the country among the top 20 contributors to marine
debris globally.
And while Nigeria has several dumping sites for waste, those in the
environmental sector like Olumide Idowu, executive director for International
Climate Change Initiative, say there is no exact data on their number or
capacity to handle large volumes of waste sufficiently.
So waste has visibly caused blocked drainages and pollution, even as climate
shocks like floods hit parts of sub-Saharan Africa. This is most obvious in
Lagos, the country’s most populated city, with an estimated 24 million people."
Via
Positive.News
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
