The Ondo State Government has mopped up 10,378.9 kilogrammes of plastic wastes in the last five months and engaged thousands of youths as agents, using technology to drive the initiative.
The government released the figure during the 2023 Ondo State Environmental Protection Agency Summit tagged: “Combating the Menace of Plastic Pollution and Management”, held at the International Culture and Events Centre, Akure.
Experts agree that plastic waste is one of the major challenges facing the environment and human existence.
The United Nations says the world is choking on plastic, while the National Geographic stresses that the world is drowning in plastic.
The need to combat the menace of plastic pollution came to the fore at this summit, organised by the Ondo State Environmental Agency.
The State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who was represented by his Commissioner for Environment, Sunday Akinwalere, stressed the need for stakeholders to ensure an end to plastic pollution, through attitudinal change.
According to him, indiscriminate dumping of plastic materials constitutes an environmental pollution burden to land and water habitats
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Oyeniyi Oseni said the theme of the summit is a wake-up call for residents of the state, that the time to get rid of plastic wastes has come.
Other speakers stressed the need to give a human face to environmental issues.
