Proposed plastic ban could trigger deindustrialisation, job losses— MAN

By Yinka Kolawole

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has faulted the proposed implementation of the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations 2026 by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), warning that the measures could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s manufacturing sector and economy.

Under the proposed regulations, NESREA plans to prohibit the production and use of single-use plastic products below 80 microns in thickness, impose taxes on shopping bags with wall thicknesses between 30 and 50 microns, and restrict several other plastic products listed in the Eleventh Schedule.

The association called on the Federal Government to suspend implementation of the proposed regulations pending a comprehensive Regulatory Impact Assessment. It maintained that plastic pollution should be addressed primarily through improved waste collection, sorting, recycling, and disposal systems, while ensuring a balance between environmental sustainability and economic development.

In a statement, Director General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said the proposed measures could disrupt industrial production, undermine investments across the plastics value chain, threaten thousands of direct and indirect jobs, and increase costs for both manufacturers and consumers.

While acknowledging the need to tackle environmental pollution and promote sustainable waste management, Ajayi-Kadir argued that the proposed regulations are premature and lack sufficient empirical justification. According to him, the measures could pose significant risks to industrial growth, employment, and the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians.

He noted that the Federal Government, through the National Plastic Action Partnership (NNPAP), had already developed a Plastic Circularity Roadmap in 2024 in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment. 

“The roadmap outlined strategies for reducing plastic waste through improved collection systems, recycling infrastructure, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), circular economy initiatives, public awareness campaigns, and investments in waste management. However, many of the roadmap’s key recommendations have yet to be fully implemented.

“There is no evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of previous restrictions on plastic products in reducing environmental pollution, improving recycling rates, or changing consumer behaviour. Public policy should be based on measurable outcomes, evidence, and stakeholder engagement,” he stated.

The post Proposed plastic ban could trigger deindustrialisation, job losses— MAN appeared first on Vanguard News.

Source link