The Nationwide Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and Sustainable Investigate and Motion for Sustainable Setting (SRADev) have called for accountable battery recycling in Nigeria.
Vital officials of the organisations built the phone at a workshop titled: “Partnership for Liable Battery and Metal Recycling (PROBAMET)” held on Monday, April 15, 2024, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The workshop was hosted by the Ogun State Ministry of Atmosphere and financed by the Initiative for Worldwide Solidarity.
The workshop is a multi-stakeholder initiative promoting accountable battery recycling and responsible sourcing of secondary non-ferrous metals from Used Direct Acid Batteries (ULABs) in Nigeria.
Speaking at the occasion, the Director Common of NESREA, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, mentioned he was deeply honoured to welcome stakeholders to the workshop on the venture.
“Together, we embark on a journey of collaboration, innovation, and collective action in addressing just one of Nigeria’s most pressing environmental problems: the marketing of liable used battery and non-ferrous metallic recycling,” Aliyu explained.
Represented by Isa Abdu Abdussalam, Director, Inspection and Enforcement, NESREA, Aliyu claimed batteries, from vehicles to option strength systems, posed a sizeable concern due to their articles of poisonous and carcinogenic major metals like direct and mercury.
According to him, exposure to these substances can direct to severe health issues, together with memory reduction, high blood strain, nerve diseases, kidney hurt and even loss of life.
He explained Nigeria had noticed a surge in the use of guide-acid batteries, offered their affordability and availability.
“While these batteries provide remarkable benefits, their improper managing throughout the recycling method has resulted in environmental contamination and compromised human basic safety.
“To ensure sustainable improvement, the Federal Governing administration proven NESREA with the mandate to implement compliance with environmental rules, guidelines, guidelines, benchmarks and regulations in Nigeria.
“NESREA also plays a critical position in upholding international environmental agreements in pursuit of these plans,” Aliyu claimed.
Also talking, Dr Leslie Adogame, Executive Director, SRADev, pressured the significance of the workshop for the wellness and wellbeing of the neighborhood communities.
In his welcome handle, the Commissioner for Natural environment, Ogun Condition, Mr. Ola Oresanya, thanked the stakeholders for coming down to the condition to boost accountable battery recycling.
Oresanya stated the condition played host to the massive gamers in the recycling of batteries and non-ferrous metals, introducing that with each other with all the stakeholders a collective roadmap for liable battery recycling would be realized.
The Oba of Ogijo, Oba Kazeem Gbadamosi, in his goodwill message, highlighted the reckless disposal of battery squander in his kingdom, exactly where most of the recyclers operated.
Gbadamosi known as on the regulators to make sure that the recyclers adopted world finest practice.
The workshop was attended by stakeholders from Lagos and Ogun states’ ministries of setting and civil society organisations.
By Fabian Ekeruche