By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
OVER 2.5 billion litres of sachet water are consumed annually in the country, produced by more than 32,000 manufacturers, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), has said.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the announcement came from Prof. Innocent Barikor, Director-General of NESREA, at the inception meeting of the Child Project – GEF 11193 on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said the initiative, titled “Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution in Nigeria,” aims to reduce plastic sachet water consumption while maintaining access to safe drinking water.
Barikor described single-use plastic water sachets as both a convenience and an environmental burden, contributing to blocked drainage systems, flooding, ecosystem degradation, and risks to public health and biodiversity.
He added that the project represented a significant step in Nigeria’s efforts to address plastic pollution.
The Global Environment Facility’s Senior Environmental Specialist and Plastic Reboot Coordinator, Evelyn Swain, reaffirmed GEF’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in reducing single-use plastic sachets.
She said Nigeria’s experience could help shape global solutions to plastic pollution. Swain was represented by Anna Blanpain at the meeting.
Mrs Zuliat Mohammed, Chief Scientific Officer at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, expressed her ministry’s readiness to collaborate with NESREA to ensure the project’s success.
Speaking at the event, Vanderbeck urged stakeholders to eliminate plastic, calling life without it “truly fantastic.”
