Lagos night food vendors defy styrofoam ban, insist alternatives unaffordable

Despite the Lagos State Government’s ban on the use of styrofoam containers for food packaging, PUNCH Healthwise’s findings have revealed how some night food vendors in different parts of the state ignored the ban and continue to use single-use plastics.

A recent investigation by our correspondent revealed that some food vendors operating at night, particularly those selling popular street foods like rice, and noodles, among others, were still using styrofoam containers to package food for their customers.

PUNCH Healthwise recently visited some places in Ikeja, Oshodi, Surulere, and Mushin where it was discovered that some of these night food vendors, who set up their stalls and carts on street corners have found ways to bypass the ban.

In January, the state government announced its decision to ban the use and distribution of styrofoam and other single-use plastics across the state.

The decision was reached following the menace that single-use plastics, especially non-biodegradable styrofoam, were noted to be causing in the environment.

The state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, stated that the campaign against environmental vandalism would start with the ban on polystyrene (popularly known as Styrofoam), microbeads, carrier bags, plastic spoons, straws, and disposable cups because they do not have recyclable potential.

The commissioner noted that drainage networks were often clogged due to the reckless disposal of non-biodegradable items, while roads and markets are littered despite the best efforts of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority.

Shortly after the ban, the Ministry of Environment embarked on an enforcement exercise by visiting markets across different local government areas in the state to seize the styrofoam food packs.

Despite the ban and enforcement exercise carried out regularly by the state government, PUNCH Healthweise discovered that some night food vendors continued to use them, citing the high cost of alternatives.

Some of the food vendors argued that the convenience and affordability of styrofoam outweigh the regulatory pressures.

“We have been using Styrofoam containers for years, and we can’t just stop because of the ban, especially when there are no cheaper alternatives for us.

“Our customers are used to getting their food in these containers because it is cheaper and affordable”, said one of the food vendors in the Oshodi area of the state.

Another food vendor operating in the Mushin area at night, added that the alternative containers are too expensive for many customers.

“It is dangerous to use nylon to sell food because of different things they have been saying about it. Many of our customers can’t afford to buy plastic containers at the price of N200 per one.

“We all know how this economy is and how people try to cut costs. Some of them just want to get the food and hurriedly go to their house to eat it. So, they don’t want to waste money on getting a plastic container that may not be useful afterward,” she noted.

Another food vendor in Surulere, Olufemi Adewale cited the prohibitive cost of alternatives as a major factor in his decision to continue to use styrofoam food packs.

He explained, “Styrofoam packs are cheap. The alternatives like biodegradable containers, cost almost thrice as much. For a business like mine, where profit margins are already tight, that’s a huge increase and many of our customers are not ready to adapt to the change, especially since we sell at night.

“Many of my customers are already struggling with the high cost of living, and we should make something cheaper and affordable for them.”

Environmental advocates, however, expressed concerns over the ongoing use of styrofoam despite the ban.

They argued that the persistence of these practices undermines the efforts to improve environmental sustainability in Lagos.

The President of the Africa Environmental Health Organisation, Afolabi Abiodun, called for more sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics and styrofoam, suggesting the use of reusable containers made from materials like glass, metal, and biodegradable plastics.

He added, “People discard this plastic or single-use plastic material indiscriminately, and these same plastics find their way into our drainage system, block the drainage system during rainfall, thereby causing flooding.

“When it blocks the water flow, it serves as a platform for mosquitoes to breed, creating malaria for people.

“Using plastics in whatever form, either in minute quantity or whatever quantity can cause cancer which is another health implication of this plastic waste we are talking about.

“Lagos state government banning the use of plastics or single use of plastics is a good idea; it’s a welcome idea and we need it at this time of climate change issue.”

Abiodun advised the government to embark on enforcement with the right education, stressing the importance of sensitising the people on the dangers the products pose to the environment.

On his part, a professor of Polymer Chemistry at the Federal University of Oye Ekiti, Dosu Malomo, stated that the government needs to move swiftly to advocate alternatives for the banned single-use plastic and Styrofoam.

Malomo noted that to tackle the impacts that single-use plastics and Styrofoam have on the environment, the government needs to make strong advocacy in the media.

He added, “The government needs to make strong advocacy. They must get competent people who can help them make strong advocacy in the media on the serious environmental effects of styrofoam and single-use plastics that they are trying to stop completely.

“Let me tell you that there are some parts of the world that don’t produce this, again, they don’t use it at all. Go online, check. They don’t even produce. You won’t find them there.

“The ones you find are mainly pepper bottles. And once they use them, they return them to where they bought the drinks. Those people from where you bought it, will collect the bottle from you. They will use it again to reproduce. If you go there, they will pay you some money for returning the bottles.

“And then of course, we have to also take this to the grassroots, let’s say, secondary school level, the chemistry or the science of environmental effects of polymeric materials to society. At least once people start getting that early education. As they grow, they will be able to cope with government policy on control of these materials or complete stoppage of the use of these materials.”

When contacted, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, told PUNCH Healthwise that styrofoam use in the state remains illegal.

Omotosho stated that the government was trying to step up its advocacy to enlighten some residents who claimed not to be aware of the ban.

He said, “We are trying as much as possible to step up our advocacy. You know some people will claim that they did not know and that the ones they brought before the ban, they would like to exhaust them. And the government should continue to give them some time and all sorts of reasons that people are giving.

“But the fact remains that in Lagos, it is banned and people should not use something that is banned.

“Those who are using it are doing it illegally, they don’t have any permission or right to do that.”

When asked if the government would embark on a night raid, the commissioner noted, “You have brought a new dimension to it, I will now have to talk to those who are in charge, maybe to activate a night enforcement. The truth of the matter is that whether it is done in day or night, styrofoam remains banned in Lagos.”

End.