Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Wednesday, July 3, 2019 urged industrial organisations to develop alternatives to plastic bottles and other non-degradable items constituting major threat to environmental sustainability.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, made the call at an Environment Forum in Lagos, with the theme ‘The Earth, Our Business, Our Future”.
He lamented that plastic waste constitutes over 70 per cent of items polluting the water bodies and blocking drains, with devastating consequences of flooding.
“Our administration is ready to collaborate with private sector whose activities impact more on the environment to seek innovative ways of carrying on their activities without jeopardising people’s lives and the sustainability of the planet.
“These organisations must consider investing in new environmentally friendly technologies, especially in the areas of renewable energy, waste recycling, emissions and packaging.
“For instance, plastic waste is constituting a major challenge to the environment, polluting our water bodies and blocking our drainage.
“We owe it as a responsibility to our future to promote policies, strategies and business models that will ensure the sustenance of an environment that will continue to provide support for our lives, our businesses and the future of humanity,” Sanwo-Olu said.
In his remarks, Mr Dolapo Atekoja, the representative of Pan African Capital Holdings, said that the forum was to share ideas and proffer solutions to the menace of environment degradation largely driven by consumerist tendencies.
By Lucy Osuizigbo
