Plastic pollution and framework towards sustainable plastic waste management in Nigeria: case study

Plastic pollution and its environmental consequence are on the rise globally. In Nigeria, the proliferation of plastic bottle and sachet water (PBSW) manufacturing companies in various parts of the country has led to an increase in plastic waste generation. Existing studies have identified challenges and the critical need for the adoption of sustainable solutions to mitigate its adverse environmental impact, especially for developing countries. Therefore, the motivation for this study stems from the urgent need for a progressive shift in the studies focused on feasible solutions to the common challenges and strategies for implementation. This study aims to investigate the identified challenges of a lack of awareness and waste management of single-use plastics in Nigeria, towards achieving a circular economy of plastic waste whilst considering its socio-economic context. This study used a mixed method approach combining quantitative and qualitative data through interviews and questionnaires to investigate awareness on the impact of plastic pollution amongst key stakeholders in plastic waste management in the UNN. The potential of introducing a DRS in the sustainable collection of single-use plastic bottle and sachet water waste was also explored. The result reveals the perceived consequence of plastic pollution is short-term, at the level of mesoplastics, physically observed as plastic litter (68.2%), leading to a blockage of canals (65.0%), an excessive rate of flooding (19.1%) and other related issues; effective channels of creating awareness and educating the public on plastic pollution are social media (48.3%), school education (23.3%), mass media (21.7%), and others (6%). An implementation framework for sustainable plastic waste collection was developed from the research findings, adapting the Norwegian Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) to suit the current socio-economic context of the population. Additionally, awareness can be increased through targeted government policies that reward sustainable plastic waste management practices, public awareness campaigns, and the use of social media.