Marine Litter Management in Nigeria

UNEP – GPA / NIMASA partnership

© 2016

ByDr.(Mrs) Felicia C. Mogo

Head Pollution Control Division Marine Environment Dept. (NIMASA), Co- Chair UNEP-GPA Advisory Group on Marine Litter, Chair, Expert

Compliance Group, IMO-London Protocol, Member UN-Group of Expert on Scientific Aspect of Marine Environment Protection

(GESAMP)

What is Marine Litter?

NOAA Definition: “any man-made object discarded, disposed of, or abandoned that enters the coastal or marine environment”

Marine Litter is usually man-made From land and sea Persistent Harmful to:

People The Environment The Economy

Marine Litter can be very dangerous, threatening our oceans and coasts, endangering marine animals and seabirds, affecting navigation and even our own health and safety. It also takes away from the beauty of our natural environment.

What does it look like?

Sources of Marine Litter in Nigeria Land based sources (LBS): These are associated with activities that occur on

land with the resulting litter being improperly discarded along roads and waterways, Roads and waterways, factories, manufacturers, fishermen, public littering on beaches, street vendors in coastal cities or urban areas, waste processing factories, sewage treatment plants and legal and illegal dumplings

Ocean or water way sources (OBS): These originate from the activities done on the ocean and waterways that are deposited directly in the water. Fishing vessels, water sports, cruise and cargo ships, offshore fossil fuel platforms and transportation, system or mechanical failure, dumping by fishermen (e.g.: nets, fishing-lines & ropes, fishing hooks, baits containers, forgotten or discarded fish, lobster and crab traps, food and beverage containers, cleaning chemical containers, clothing and pieces of boats (capsized and crashed),waste from pleasure boats and barges and cruise boats; exploration and exploitation.

INDICATORS OF MARINE LITTER SOURCES

ITEM DESCRIPTION

SHORELINE & RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES bags(plastics and paper),ballons,beverage bottles(2l or less),-glass,cans,lids,clothings,shoes,eating utensils,cups and plats,food wrappers and containers,strwas,toys,weavon,

OCEAN &WATERWAYS ACTIVITIES Bait containers and packages,bleach and cleaner bottles,buoys or floats,traps,crates,fishing line,fishing lures or sticks,fishing nets,light bulbs or tubes, oil lube bottles,pallets,plastic sheeting taps,rope,strapping bands

SMOKING-RELATED ACTIVITIES Cigarettes or cigarette filters,lighters,cigar tips,tobacco packaging or wrappers

DUMPING ACTIVITIES Appliances,batteries,building materials,cars or carparts,55-gallon drums,tires

MEDICAL OR PERONAL HYGIENE ACTIVIITES Condons,diapers,syringes,tamptons or tamon applicators

WHY UNEP-GPA CALL TO ACTION

In response to THE GLOBAL CHALLENGES POSED BY MARINE LITTER,UNEP-GPA embarked in 2003 on the development of a Global initiative on marine litter e.g.: culturally-based public education programmes for environmental stewardship and implementation of policies supported by national and local legislation and governmental and private sector compliance and enforcement can lead to the reduction and abatement of marine litter.

UNEP –GPA RESPONSIBILITY FROM RIO DECLARATION

Activities to be undertaken by NIMASA

NIMASA will carry out a survey of marine litter in selected coastline, waterways and beaches in Nigeria to identify marine litter “hot-spots” and classify litter on the basis of source-types;

NIMASA will initiate education and awareness campaign targeting the geographical source-area of marine litter in the selected hot-spots including stakeholders, local communities and the media;

NIMASA will initiate action plan for coastal and beach clean-up campaigns in identified hot-spots; NIMASA will implement litter/solid waste management program (e.g. waste collection, wastes recycling, waste-

to-wealth, installation trash traps, etc.) in specific marine litter hot-spots, including beaches;

NIMASA will use the information generated in the previously mentioned activities to develop a national action plan and campaign concept for marine litter.

NIMASA will share information relevant to this project on the on-line platform on marine litter developed by UNEP which enables the global marine litter community to share information, lessons learned, and tools. It also facilitates the promotion and implementation of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter, engaging governments, regional organizations, other UN agencies, and importantly the private sector.

NIMASA will provide recommendations for the strengthening of the GPML and outline its future involvement to further strengthen outreach to relevant target groups.

To achieve the content of the agreement

NIMASA embarked on inter-departmental

meetings to engage relevant

departments/officers, pre-survey/ pre field

work briefing, grouping of officers into

teams to carry out feasibility evaluation

and survey including identification of

Marine Litter hotspots, characterization

and determination of geographical

sources of the litter. The litter survey was

carried out in 3 different axis of the Lagos

Lagoon, which is a major part of the

Atlantic Ocean portion of Nigeria.

Pre-Survey Meeting

Survey Design/Approach Sample size was one because there was no previous reference except for beach clean-up by CBO’s and NGO’s that were not properly documented. In this case a sampling unit was created by measuring the natural unit as the entire beach from the water edge to the seaward limit of terrestrial vegetation

According to Dixon and Dixon 1985, factors like substrate type, beach slope, prevailing winds, ease of access and recreational use of the sea area contribute to the accumulation of marine litter.

Usually, on arrival by the NIMASA, UNEP-GPA team to any hotspots/awareness campaign site the event would be opened with an introduction by the team leader. The team leader would also address the community and give a brief on the NIMASA, UNEP-GPA partnership objective.

Cont.….Survey Design/Approach

IncineratorsWaste BinsRakesShovelsHead PansGlovesFace MasksT-Shirts

The team leader will also educate the community on the importance of proper waste disposal and their role as a coastal community, to work towards litter free oceans. Then there will be a tour around the vicinity and an opportunity was given to some members of the community to express themselves on existing litter management approach if any.

In other to facilitate proper waste management on the beach and support their efforts the community were presented with branded NIMASA, UNEP-GPA items as an incentive towards proper waste disposal namely:

Generally, the opportunity of the survey was used to carry out awareness campaign at every location that human population exist. However, defined awareness campaign was carried out in three (3) locations namely Victoria Island, Ikorodu and Badagary as shown in the map. At each location, various waste management materials branded with UNEP/GPA-NIMASA partnership on marine litter were given to the communities together with branded shirts as earlier shown in the previous slide. The outcome of the survey and the awareness campaign formed a major presentation and discussion during the stakeholders’, shippers’ and, oil and gas operators’ meeting.

Survey Opportunities

Observations and Results –Selected Hotspots

The general observed trend is the dominance of plastics and associated materials at each axis on the chat. However the Victoria, Ikorodu and Badagry axis, plastics were unusually observed to be more abundant significantly and this could be possibly attributed to plastic industries within the area and commercial boating activities. And the percentage of plastic to glass is almost the same and this was attributed to recreational and vocational activities within the area and commercial picking of plastics.

Discussions and ConclusionsThe survey so far carried out with respect to addressing the project on ‘sustainable management of marine litter in Nigeria beaches and waterways’ has yielded some tangible results that can help in launching the project in a positive direction. The proportion of marine litter materials as presented in this report will invariably contribute towards the technical aspects of the Action Plan to be developed.

Discussions: The survey results supports the trends of plastics being the most dominant types of waste in the shorelines of the survey area as shown in the charts. Comparative evaluation of results showed that 50% of all litter found on the shoreline within and across the three (3) different community (axis) were plastics (plastics and formed plastics).

Conclusions : There is need to take urgent action in addressing marine litter issue in Nigeria through more awareness campaigns and education, putting waste management structure in place for coastal dwellers and structured action plan stipulating task and responsibilities for individuals and organizations. There is strong concern on public and community health in view of the magnitude of waste type observed at almost all of the hotspots and the quality of human life seen at the community depend on same coastal water, as receptacle of waste and water supply including sea foods.

Way Forward

Clean up of identified Hot-spots in Lagos and extension of survey and campaign to other littoral states

Stronger and classified awareness creation for different groups incorporating factors as cultural, level of education, vocation and so on by engaging MDAs, CBOs and NGOs.

Full engagement of states municipal waste management bodies to ensure proper management of waste upland, together with the agencies responsible for management of wastes from ships.

Development of strong ties with industries operating along the coast to view proper litter management as a sure way of demonstrating corporate social responsibility (CSR)

Inclusion of litter management in the civic syllabus of educational institutions of all tiers, especially those in the littoral communities. (more are stated in the action plan)

Stakeholders MeetingThe stakeholders’ meeting was attended by the representatives of government agencies (States and Federal) and Nongovernmental Organizations. The meeting succeeded in creating awareness on the project and stakeholders were appreciative of the outcome of the meeting and are ready to be engaged as appropriate.

Further, it was generally agreed that Nigeria should come up with a National Policy on solid waste management that will have marine litter management as a subset. Detailed information on this is as captured in the minutes of meeting and communiqué. More publicity of the whole project is on-going in the national media by the public relations unit of the Agency.

Proposed National Nigerian Action Plan

The Nigeria National Action Plan (NNAP) for Marine Litter Management will serve as a framework for collaborative efforts between Government Agencies, Industry Stakeholders and coastal communities to achieve the following primary goals:

Reduced quantity and effect of marine litter from land-based activities in the Nigeria Marine Environment Reduced quantity and effect of marine litter from sea- based activities in the Nigeria Marine Environment Reduced quantity and effects of current build-up of marine litter along the shore lines and at sea.

The NNAP goals will determine the necessary objectives, strategies actions and plans to tackle the marine litter issue and achieve sustainable marine litter management.

Campaign Concept ModuleDevelopment of a marine litter campaign concept is one of the expected outcomes of UNEP/NIMASA PROJECT on marine litter in Nigeria. In the course of the marine litter survey, awareness campaign and stakeholders meeting carried out as components of this project, the critical success factors and the building blocks for the campaign concept were identified.

By not littering and picking up litter you see, you may be saving the life of a marine mammal.

Be aware of the packaging on products you purchase; opt for products with less packaging.

Prevent litter!Prevent litter!

Packaging awareness!Packaging awareness!

Thank you for your attention

JOIN US!

www.unep.org/gpawww.nimasa.gov.ng