Plastic pollution is a major problem in Nigeria.
Recent research identified the country as a plastic pollution hotspot, second to India. India emits 9.3 million tons of plastic into the environment each year—one fifth of the global total. Nigeria emits 3.5 million tons annually.
The pollution comes in a range of sizes from macroplastic (pieces larger than 25 millimeters in diameter) to nanoplastic (less than 1,000 nanometers).
It takes various forms, such as polyethylene terephthalate (used for food packaging, beverages, and personal care products), polyvinyl chloride (used in plumbing pipes, flooring, and clothing) and polystyrene (used for food packaging, laboratory materials, toys and computer housing).
These plastics are making their ways into various environments, including Nigeria’s waterways.
The study found as many as 22,079 pieces of microplastic in just one litre of water. These levels exceeded those reported in 267 global studies of microplastics in river water conducted since 1994.