NESREA Seals 29 Facilities In South West For Violation Of Environmental Laws

By Bukar BOLORI

The Director General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Innocent Barikor on has made good his promise to residents of Ogijo, a community in Ogun State, as the agency sealed nube recycling facilities for environmental pollution.

The ongoing enforcement exercise in the South West Zone of the country has also seen the sealing of 20 other facilities in Ekiti, Osun and Ogun States.

Barikor said the enforcement exercise is in line with the mandate of the NESREA, which gives the agency the responsibility of prohibiting activities and processes which undermine environmental quality.

He noted that it had become expedient to take drastic action against non-compliant recyclers in Ogijo community in Ogun State as their operations have continued to endanger the environment and lives of the citizens.

Barikor said: “The situation in Ogijo has been of concern due to the harmful activities of battery and scrap metal recyclers. Improper disposal of hazardous slag from battery recycling threatens environmental degradation and public health risks from toxic lead content. Tests have revealed presence of lead in residents, resulting in illnesses and deaths.”

He stated that the failure of the facilities to adopt best available technology in their operations was in contravention of the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations 2024.

Barikor noted that: “There have been several stakeholders intervention which involved Federal and State Ministries of Environment, NESREA, State Environmental Protection Agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations and development partners in a bid to get the facilities to upgrade their operations to more environmental friendly technology and institute sustainable plan for management of slag and other waste from their processes but a recent tour of the community revealed total disregard for environmental laws of the land, a clear signal that some of these facilities do not have any intention of complying and their continued operation is a big threat to the health of residents and the environment in which they live.”

He stressed that the sealing of the facilities was therefore to protect the lives of vulnerable citizens and put a stop to the operations of the recycling facilities that undermine the law and expose Nigerians to danger.

He disclosed that: “These facilities were closed for violating the provisions of the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations, 2024. Their offences include lack of Environmental Documents such as Environmental Audit Report (EAR), Environmental Impact Statement, Permits; Lack of Fume treatment plant; indiscriminate discharge of black oil; failure to carry out blood-lead test on staff; no proper slag management, manual battery breaking and washing and non-compliance with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programme.”

The Facilities sealed in Ogijo, Ogun State were: Vedanta Metal Industries Limited; Metal Manufacturing Nigeria Limited; African Non-Ferrous Limited; True Metals Nigeria Limited; BPL Nigeria Limited, Lagos Ibadan Express Way; Hanushi Manufacturing Limited , Lagos Ibadan Express Way; Pristine Elt. Pvt. Limited; Timto Alu Company Limited; and Ecomade Industries Limited.

Enforcement was also carried out in the construction and quarry sectors where a total of 10 sites were sealed for lack of Environmental Documents contrary to the provisions of the National Environmental (Construction Sector) Regulations, 2011 and the National Environmental (Quarrying and Blasting Operations) 2013 respectively.

In the Domestic and Industrial Plastic sector, Five facilities were shutdown for operating in flagrant disregard for the National Environmental (Domestic and Industrial Plastic, Rubber and Foam Sector) Regulations 2011.

They operated without Environmental documents, lack of fume abatement technology, non-submission of Quarterly Compliance Monitoring Report One (1) facility, GS Agriculture Limited, Osogbo, Osun State was sealed for violating the he National Environmental (Food, Beverages and Tobacco. Sector) Regulations 2009.

The facility was faulted for not having the necessary Environmental Documents.

In the Non-Metallic Mineral Manufacturing sector, One (1) facility, West Stone and Marble Processing Company Limited Ikirun, Osun State was sealed for Non Submission of Environmental Audit Report (EAR).

For refusal to comply with the National Environmental (Motor Vehicle and Miscellaneous Assembly) Regulations 2011, One (1) facility, Icheetah Nigeria Limited , Abeokuta was shutdown. Enforcement of the National Environmental (Protection of Endangered Species in International Trade) Regulations, 2011 led to the sealing of One (1) facility, Solomon Kensington Agro Allied, Iperu- Remo in Ogun State.

The operators failed to provide relevant Environmental documents, install and Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), refused to provide the Agency with comprehensive list of animal species being kept.

Barikor further states, “Our duty to Nigerians is a solemn responsibility. We are no longer appealing to any facility to comply with the laws, when you refuse to obey, you face the consequences. We will not hesitate to enforce the law.”