The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps, LAGESC, popularly known as KAI says it intercepted a truckload of banned Styrofoam packs at Ojuelegba area of the state.

Its Corps Marshal, retired Major Olaniyi Cole, confirmed this in a statement made available by LAGESC Public Relations Officer, Ajayi Lukman.

Cole said the Mercedes-Benz 814 truck, with Reg. No. AJK 140 LG, loaded with Styrofoam valued at about ₦2.0 million, belonged to a Cameroonian national.

He said the owner claimed the truck was carrying the goods through Akwa-Ibom for sales in the Central African country.

According to him, Styrofoam was still banned in Lagos State, stressing that wherever it was found in the state, the agency’s operatives would seize them as it posed environmental hazard.

The Corps Marshal, expressed sadness to find out that some people still made use of the prohibited item in Lagos State after the ban.

The Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, in January 2024, announced a total ban of the use and distribution of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics across the state.

As part of sustained efforts to mitigate environmental infractions in the State, operatives of the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) popularly known as KAI attached to the Surulere Division of the Agency apprehended a truckload (Mercedes-Benz 814) of banned Styrofoam packs in transit with registration number AJK-140LG in the Ojuelegba area of the State.

Speaking on the discovery, the Corps Marshal of the Agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd) expressed dismay at the fact that despite the carpet ban on Styrofoam in the State, there are negative elements who stacked away these banned products in warehouses with intent to sell at reduced prices to unsuspecting buyers from other States.

According to him, ‘‘You would recall in January that the State Government via the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources announced the carpet ban on the use and distribution of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics across the State in which adequate publicity and stakeholder engagement was implored to spread the word but some negative elements decided to withhold these inflammable products in their warehouses beyond the deadline’’.

Investigations also revealed that Iya Ireti Plastic Company situated in the Lagos Island area of the State sold the Styrofoam packs at a street value of ₦2,090,000.00 to a Cameroonian nationale with the hopes of moving the truckload of Styrofoam packs through Akwa-Ibom State for sales in the Central African country.

Cole expressed the commitment of the Agency to rid the State of environmental infractions just as he vowed to deal with environmental defaulters.

He maintained that the distribution and use of Styrofoam remains banned in Lagos, citing the new constitution of a taskforce within the Agency which will consolidate on intelligence efforts aimed at flushing out these environmental defaulters.

Ajayi Lukman
Head, Public Affairs and Advocacy
Friday, 9th of August, 2024