Environmental crackdown: Lagos impounds N5m worth of banned styrofoam

.Seals 239 facilities, arrests 931 offenders

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Lagos State Government has intensified enforcement of the ban on Styrofoam and other single-use plastics, confiscating banned products worth about N5 million from warehouses and shopping malls across the state as part of efforts to tackle environmental pollution.

Meanwhile, it also apprehended 931 people for waste management offences, inspected 2,251 sites, issued 1,711 contravention notices and sealed 239 facilities as part of intensified environmental monitoring, enforcement and compliance operations across the state in the last one year.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on Sunday, during the 2026 ministerial press briefing to commemorate the seventh administration in office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and deputy Dr Obafemi Hamzat held at Alausa, Ikeja, where he highlighted the achievements of the ministry so far.

Wahab said the state government remained committed to protecting the environment and reducing plastic pollution through strict enforcement measures and recycling initiatives.

According to him, the ministry sustained its clampdown on the distribution, sale and usage of banned Styrofoam products across Lagos.

“The ministry continued to enforce the total ban on the distribution, sales and usage of Styrofoam with the confiscation of about 5 million worth of banned Styrofoam and SUPs from warehouses and malls,” Wahab said.

The commissioner explained that the government’s recycling and waste recovery initiatives were also yielding positive results, with thousands of kilograms of plastic waste removed from the environment.

He disclosed that the ministry removed 137,530.94 kilogrammes of PET plastics from the environment in 2025 as part of ongoing efforts to improve waste management and environmental sustainability.

“It also removed a total of 137,530.94 kg of PET (plastic) from the environment in 2025,” Wahab stated.

Wahab further noted that the state recorded significant improvement in waste recovery through recycling programmes and collection centres.

“The recycling initiative of the department recorded a positive trend based on data obtained from collection centers indicating a significant improvement in waste recovery efforts. Total recyclables collected for the year 2025 is 185,850.72 kg,” he added.

The commissioner stressed that the Sanwo-Olu administration would continue to implement policies aimed at reducing environmental degradation, promoting cleaner alternatives and ensuring a healthier environment for residents.

He reiterated the government’s resolve to sustain enforcement against individuals and businesses violating the ban on Styrofoam and other harmful plastic materials across the state.

The commissioner also revealed that the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, intensified environmental monitoring and pollution control measures across the state.

According to Wahab, LASEPA completed 114 installations of air quality sensors and rehabilitated air pollution abatement facilities to improve environmental monitoring and air quality management in Lagos.

Seals 239 facilities

Wahab added that State Government apprehended 931 people for waste management offences, inspected 2,251 sites, issued 1,711 contravention notices and sealed 239 facilities as part of intensified environmental monitoring, enforcement and compliance operations across the state in the last one year.

According to Wahab, the Monitoring Enforcement and Compliance (MEC) operations of the ministry were strengthened within the review period to ensure stricter adherence to environmental laws and sanitation standards across Lagos.

“Through the monitoring and enforcement drive of the agency, 931 persons were apprehended for waste management offences, 2,251 sites were inspected, 1,711 contravention notices were issued and 239 sites were sealed,” Wahab said.

The commissioner added that enforcement teams also evacuated more than 650 tonnes of construction waste while sustaining public awareness campaigns on construction, demolition and disaster waste management.

“The Agency evacuated 650 tonnes of construction waste and sustained awareness on construction, demolition and disaster waste through stakeholder engagement in collaboration with waste care solutions,” he stated.

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