The Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA) partnered Trashusers, a plastic waste collection organisation and Lagos State government ...
The Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance
(FBRA) partnered Trashusers, a plastic waste collection organisation and Lagos
State government in ridding Agege community of plastic waste as part of its
strong commitment to environmental preservation during this year’s World
Clean-up Day.
The clean-up exercise focused on
cleaning drainages, streets and the major canal in Agege was held on September
21, 2019, this year’s World Clean-up Day. It resonates FBRA’s resolve in
intensifying awareness on waste separation for recycling and measures of
curbing environmental pollution caused by food and beverage packaging waste.
The exercise was embarked upon by
volunteered staff of member-companies of the Alliance(FBRA), which is the
Producer Responsibility Organisation for the food and beverage sector in line
with the Extended Producer Responsibility. Other partners includes: Trashusers,
a private plastic waste collection organisation, the Lagos State Waste
Management Authority (LAWMA), Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency
(LASEPA), Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LASESC), the Community
Development Association (CDA), Olusanya, Oke koto, Agege, members of the
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and volunteers.
Commenting on the clean-up initiative,
the Technical Lead, FBRA, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, said the initiative was aimed at
reinforcing the consciousness on responsible waste management to Nigerians that
the environment should be free from waste pollution, especially those from food
and beverage packaging which hardly degrade.
She said the Alliance has been at the
forefront of its advocacy role of educating the populace on proper waste
disposal and the need for a clean environment through waste separation, proper
disposal and recycling, which can also enhance job and wealth creation along
the value chain.
According to her, the Agege clean-up
initiative would reawaken the consciousness among inhabitants of the community
that their environment where they live, and work is paramount to their
wellbeing and should be preserved for healthy living.
Onyemelukwe who is also the Head, Public
Affairs and Communications of Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, explained that if
proper waste management is adopted, diseases, flooding that comes with
indiscriminate waste disposal will be eliminated thereby promoting a healthy
lifestyle.
On the partnership with FBRA, the
Managing Director, Trashusers, Seun Bode, said it is an opportunity to advance
his course on waste collection and recycling in the pursuit for a cleaner
Lagos. He commended FBRA on its advocacy role through community campaigns on
recycling with the recent Ojo neighbourhood initiative as well as Orile
buy-back scheme.
Attesting to FBRA’s level of commitment,
the Chief Scientific Officer, LASEPA, Agboola Muyideen, who was satisfied with
the waste cleared from Agege canal, commended the Alliance and Trashusers for
keeping to their vision of ensuring environmental conservation.
He said LASEPA is highly delighted to
collaborate with FBRA, as the Agency believe that waste management in Lagos
with over 20 million inhabitants should be a joint effort between the
government and producer responsibility organisations in the state.
“FBRA has taken its clean-up initiatives
to an admirable height which shows that much can be achieved if effective
collaboration is ensured between government and the private sector, a move
intended by Lagos State through its reform agenda on waste eradication,”
Muyideen pointed out.
While eulogising the clean-up exercise,
Head of Olusanya, Oke Koto, CDA, Bishop Julius Olusanya, who was present with
his members, affirmed “it is a good thing and that is why we have lent our support
to it. I have the belief that people in my CDA are very reasonable and they
will adhere to measures aimed at curbing waste pollution
Last year, FBRA embarked on a clean-up
exercise at the popular Arena market in Oshodi, in commemoration of the World
Clean-up Day. The campaign was used to enlighten traders, shoppers and members
of Nurses-of-air Foundation on crucial issues relating to proper waste disposal
and separation of plastic from metal and food waste, recycling, healthy
lifestyle and other measures aimed at curbing pollution.
Founded in December 2013, the Alliance has membership drawn from responsible and forward-thinking companies which include Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (Manufacturers of Coca-Cola brands), Nigerian Breweries Plc, Seven-Up Bottling Company Limited, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Intercontinental Distillers Limited, International Breweries Limited, Tulip Cocoa, and Prima Caps and Preforms.
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