CIU Environmental Research Center drew attention to the issue of plastic pollution

At the event that was organized online, the founder of the Waste to Wealth Company Hapsat Sali, gave information in relation to the plastic pollution in Nigeria, and the stages of the plastic collection companies establishment.

In the speech that the Director of the Environmental Research Center and CIU Faculty of Engineering academic staff Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ime Akanyeti made, who also took on the duty of moderator, he expressed that the use of plastics, that is generally increasing across the world, is negatively affecting the environment, and went on to say, “The recycling of plastics not only reduces the negative effects upon the environment, but at the same time also contributes to the circulation of the economy”.

Explaining during the event that Nigeria is one of the countries with one of the highest populations in the world, Hapsat Sali stated that due to the high population, the solid waste is leading to serious environmental problems due to insufficient management of them.

Drawing attention to the fact that a majority of the solid waste is made up of plastic (PET) bottles, Sali continued, “There is an insufficient plan for the management of solid waste. Additionally, due to the public having a low education and consciousness, the plastics are wildly being stored in nature, or are being burnt sporadically in open areas”.

Explaining that he established the Waste to Wealth company in 2021, Sali expressed that they began with collecting PET bottles from 6 states located in northeastern Nigeria.

Highlighting that the amount of plastic waste collected from each state was different, Sali went on to state, “The differences between the states were due to a number of different factors such as literacy rate, religion, and rainfall”.

Sali noted that the plastic waste is first collected at the transfer stations that are located within each state, then separated and baled at the sorting center in Adamawe, and then transferred to the recycling center in Lagos.

Explaining that he faced a number of problems when establishing the company, Sali added that it is currently a working system, however, that there are a number of works that can be done in order to improve the system.

In his speech, also providing information in relation to the problems that they faced, Sali concluded, “There is a long distance between the transfer stations and the recycling center, and there are problems with relation to the infrastructure of the transport. Also, the public doesn’t have much awareness in relation to environmental awareness, and it is very difficult for the workers to control”.