The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has urged the Edo State government to compel Coca Cola Company, Seven Up Bottling Company and other producers of plastics to engage in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) by taking responsibility for the plastic waste they produce.
According to ERA/FoEN, the flooding experienced in Benin City and its environs is fueled by plastic waste materials that have found their way into the drainage systems and waterways.
A statement by ERA/FoEN’s Communications Officer, Elvira Jordan, at the weekend, noted that the statement was the highpoint of a Return-To-Sender Action protests by ERA/FoEN and other groups in Benin City.
The exercise was in collaboration with Zero Waste Ambassadors (ZEWA), Edo Civil Society Organization (EdoCSO) and Students Environmental Assembly of Nigeria (SEAN), University of Benin Chapter.
The statement states that the exercise was targeted at determining the highest polluting brands. Coca Cola and Seven Up came up as the highest polluters, with a frequency rate of 33% and 23% respectively.
Speaking during the action, the Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Chima Williams, represented by Babawale Obayanju said the flooding in Benin City and its environs is aggravated by the plastic waste materials that have found their way to drainage systems and waterways.
He added that statistics clearly show that the identified companies are making lots of money and are equally contributing heavily to the plastic waste menace in Benin, without any waste management systems in place.
“We brought their plastic waste back to them as it is polluting our environment and based on our findings during the brand audit, The Coca-Cola Company, Seven Up Bottling Company and others primarily use plastics for their packaging, including PET bottles with plastic caps.
“It is very crucial for these companies to design and develop a take-back or withdrawal scheme for their products as there are no active withdrawal schemes currently in place. Implementing the take-back/withdrawal schemes and exploring circular economy models can enhance recycling rates and reduce plastic pollution.”
“We also request that The Coca-Cola Company and the other brands should have a squint at further research and development into eco-friendly packaging materials, collaborate with recycling partners, and engage with consumers to achieve its plastic reduction targets and contribute to a cleaner environment”, he stated.
He called on Coca-Cola Company, Seven Up, CWAY Group and others to transition to sustainable packaging alternatives such as biodegradable materials, reusable containers, or reduced plastic packaging
Also speaking, Project Officer, Waste Management of ERA/FoEN Melody Enyinnaya said the plastic pollution experienced in Benin City was appalling as manufacturers continue to produce without retrieving their waste.
“This situation has thrown our environment into a dumping ground for plastics, especially our drainage systems and our rivers,” she said.
Eyinnaya demanded that coca cola, seven up and all other manufacturers withdraw their plastics waste from the environment “as we need fishes in our rivers not their plastics.”
