The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has called on the Edo State government to compel Coca Cola Company, Seven Up Bottling Company and other producers of plastic to engage in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) by taking responsibility for the plastic waste they produce.
The Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Chima Williams, made the call at an event tagged, “Return-To-Sender Action” organised by ERA/FoEN and other groups on Thursday the 28th of September 2023 in Benin.
Williams who was represented by Babawale Obayanju stated that the flooding experienced in Benin and its environs is aggravated by the plastic waste materials that have found their way to the drainage systems and waterways.
The exercise was targeted at determining the highest polluting brands, adding that Coca Cola and Seven Up came up as the highest polluters, with a frequency rate of 33 per cent and 23 per cent respectively.
The exercise which was carried out in collaboration with Zero Waste Ambassadors (ZEWA), Edo Civil Society Organization (EdoCSO) and Students Environmental Assembly of Nigeria (SEAN), University of Benin Chapter, involved the collection of discarded plastic bottles which were returned to Coca Cola and Seven Up facilities in Benin City.
Williams in a statement issued Friday said statistics clearly showed that the identified companies are making lots of money and are equally contributing heavily to the plastic waste menace in Benin, without any waste management systems in place.
He noted: “We brought their plastic waste back to them as it is polluting our environment and based on our findings during the brand audit, The Coca-Cola Company, Seven Up Bottling Company and others primarily use plastics for their packaging, including PET bottles with plastic caps.
“It is very crucial for these companies to design and develop a take-back or withdrawal scheme for their products as there are no active withdrawal schemes currently in place. Implementing the take-back/withdrawal schemes and exploring circular economy models can enhance recycling rates and reduce plastic pollution.”
“We also request that The Coca-Cola Company and the other brands should have a squint at further research and development into eco-friendly packaging materials, collaborate with recycling partners, and engage with consumers to achieve its plastic reduction targets and contribute to a cleaner environment”, he stated.
He called on Coca-Cola Company, Seven Up, CWAY Group and others to transition to sustainable packaging alternatives such as biodegradable materials, reusable containers, or reduced plastic packaging.
Also, Project Officer, Waste Management of ERA/FoEN, Melody Enyinnaya, described the plastic pollution experienced in Benin City as appalling because of manufacturers producing without retrieving their waste.
She stressed that this situation has thrown the environment into a dumping ground for plastics especially our drainage systems and rivers
She further demanded that coca cola, seven up and all other manufacturers should withdraw their plastics waste from the environment as we need fishes in our rivers not their plastics.