The Federal Government is adopting a multi-stakeholder approach to promote responsible battery recycling in Nigeria.
This follows identified health and environmental hazards associated with used lead-acid batteries due to improper recycling practices.
Director General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Innocent Barikor, at a Capacity Building Workshop on Used Lead-Acid Battery Recycling in Lagos said, stakeholders are now being sensitized on the provisions of the National Battery Control Regulation, 2024, before Enforcement commences.
A Survey by the Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria), in 2016 revealed that residents of communities where used lead-acid batteries are recycled as well as the handlers were dying instalmentally from exposure to Substandard recyling methods at an alarming rate.
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This discovery raised the need to seek a tailor made approach to solving the problem and saving lives.
The workshop aims at sensitizing all stakeholders in the battery recycling value chain on the devastating effect of lead poisoning from battery mismanagement on health and Environment as well as the provisions of the National Battery Control Regulation 2024.
With proper training already given to the plant managers and the recyclers on how best to handle used lead-acid batteries and a
regulation now in place to punish offenders, hope is high that responsible recycling will reduce the health burden of exposure to lead in Nigeria.
(Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie)
