The Lagos State Government has denied banning the production and sale of sachet water in the state as it’s being claimed in a video circulating on social media that has gone viral.
Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, in response to the viral video, posted a statement on his X handle on Monday, clarifying that Lagos State has not banned sachet water and has no plans to do so, adding that “our focus remains on effective plastic waste management.”
In the viral video trending on social media, people were showed bursting packets of sachet water in industries and buses, sparking rumours of a government ban.
The commissioner emphatically denied the allegations, stating that the people in the video were not state enforcement officers.
“Upon investigation, it was confirmed that the individuals in question are enforcement officers from the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Read Also: FCT minister advocates more investment in local film industry
“Their actions are part of an enforcement exercise targeting sachet water that does not comply with NAFDAC regulations, conducted in the interest of public health and safety,” Wahab explained
The commissioner emphasised that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu remains committed to reducing plastic waste through long-term and inclusive methods.
He said that one of the state government’s commitments, as stated during an engagement workshop on October 3, 2024, is to impose mandatory extended producer responsibility rules for manufacturers of polyethylene terephthalate, sachets and carrier bags with a minimum size of 40 microns, along with producers and producer responsibility organisations.
Wahab announced the creation of a plastic waste management fund by the state government to help continue these initiatives and advised the public to disregard any form of misinformation.
He stated that the planned ban on single-use plastics and styrofoam, which is due to go into force in January 2025, will exclude sachet water and plastic bottles.
