The Federal Government has concluded plans to prosecute businessmen importing hazardous goods and e-waste into the country, Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Dr Lawrence Anukam, says.
Anukam gave the warning in an interview with the Newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said that such hazardous goods were liable either to cause death or serious injury to human health as well as the environment.
“I am appealing to those Nigerians who buy goods in oversees to ensure that they import genuine and functional goods.
“This is because if we discover that the goods are hazardous, when it comes to the port, it will be intercepted and sent back to ports of origin.
“Instead of wasting time and money, I will rather advise them to make sure that what they are bringing into the country is functional, good and usable.
“Otherwise such product will not be allowed into the country,’’ he said.
Anukam commended the Nigerian Customs and other enforcement agencies for the cordial working relations with NESREA in ensuring that importation of hazardous goods into the country was effectively monitored.
He said that the agency was planning to launch its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme in the next quarter of the year.
According to him, EPR programme is a strategy designed to promote the integration of environmental cost with goods through their life cycles into the prices of the products.
He said that the aim of the programme was to give producers an incentive to change product design by making it easier to re-use or recycle waste.
The director-general said that the programme would to help in the thorough management of waste and e-waste in the country.
“According to him, we have other several wastes like batteries, plastic bottles, nylons, newspapers among others.
“The agency is making sure that with EPR programme, activities of waste generally is handled effectively.
“The agency as a matter of fact, in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Environment had involved in series of meetings to ensure a better and effective result in the management of wastes.
“We are finalising the arrangements for the formal launching of the EPR programme. We are involving all relevant stakeholders for a successful launching of the programme.’’