BY IKECHUKWU ODU / ENUGU
Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu has begun processes to tackle the scourge of plastic pollution in the environment.
In a conference tagged: ‘Solutions to Plastic Pollution,’ organized by the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, ESUT, as part of the activities to mark this year’s World Environment Day (WED) the Institution said that plastic pollution constitute a menace to the environment, especially in developing countries.
The Vice Chancellor of ESUT, Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie, while declaring the conference open, enjoined all hands to be on deck to rid the environment of plastic waste.
He said that WED, helps to drive change in consumption patterns and in national and international environmental policy, with the aim of ensuring environmental sustainability and safety.
The Vice Chancellor who was represented by his Deputy, Prof. Chike Nwoha, further said that over exposure to plastics can harm human fertility, hormone, metabolic and neurological configurations.
In his lead paper presentation entitled ‘Plastic Waste Management; Our Hope for Our Better Environment,’ an Environmental Manager, Francis Obru-Egboro, explained that at least 11 million tons of plastic waste flow into the ocean annually, affecting more than 800 marine and coastal animals through ingestion and entanglement.
Obru-Egboro, noted that plastic could be recycled into useful products, adding that it is the most acceptable method of sustainable solid waste management.
He advocated for the combined 3-R approaches of reduce, re-use and recycle for holistic and enduring management of plastic pollution in our environment.
While addressing newsmen, the Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, ESUT, Prof. Augusta Emenike, said the Faculty decided to sensitize ESUT community on the dangers of plastic pollution because of the hazards it constitutes to health.
Stressing that everybody had a role to play in environmental sustainability, she added that the outcome of the conference would serve as a guide to the Federal Government in making environmental-friendly policies.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Virginia Okwu-Delunzu, who gave a brief history of the WED, said that the programme was instituted by United Nations (UN) General Assembly on June 5, 1972 to pay attention to issues affecting the environment.
She added that topics such as air and plastic pollution, illegal wildlife trade, sustainable consumption, sea-level increase and food security have been of concern to the UN.
Professor Okwu Delunzu noted that studies have revealed that over 430 million tons of plastics were produced annually with half of them used once, and less than 10 percent recycled.
It was learnt that the tree planting was carried out by the ESUT Students Union Government (SUG) led by its President, Comr. Donatus Okolieuwa.
The conference was attended by scholars across the world.
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