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Challenges and prospects of plastic waste management in Nigeria

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Abstract

The combined properties of low cost, lightweight, and resistance to chemicals and corrosion has increased the use of plastic materials for packaging and storage purposes in preference to other materials. Consequently, there is a continued increase in their proportion in domestic solid wastes worldwide as well as the concern of their impacts on the environment. Most developed and developing countries have put in place and continue to improve their plastic waste disposal, collection, and recycling methods to reduce these impacts. In Nigeria with a population of about 186 million, there are little or no available data on the use of plastic materials in relation to city populations, their disposal, collection, and recycling methods. There are a few numbers of plastic waste recycling companies in a fewer number of cities and disposal practices for the greater percentage of the plastic wastes that are not captured for recycling possess immediate and future danger for the environment. This work reviews the consumption of plastics, its waste generation, collection, and treatment in Nigeria and a few selected countries. The problems associated with inadequate management of the wastes were emphasized and recommendations were proffered to not only highlight research and investment opportunities that are inherent in plastic waste management in Nigeria, but also provide a background for the formulation of sustainable regulatory policies by the government to address the problems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

    R. U. Duru

  2. 15791 Pebblebrook Drive, Belleville, MI, 48111, USA

    E. E. Ikpeama

  3. Department of Oil and Gas Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

    J. A. Ibekwe

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  1. R. U. Duru
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  3. J. A. Ibekwe
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Duru, R.U., Ikpeama, E.E. & Ibekwe, J.A. Challenges and prospects of plastic waste management in Nigeria. Waste Dispos. Sustain. Energy 1, 117–126 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42768-019-00010-2

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