Making better use of polythene wastes

WHEN one moves around the country, one is bound see polythene wastes, particularly pure water sachets, littering everywhere. This is a big problem in several countries, and not only in Nigeria, but other countries have devised better waste disposal systems to save their environment, and one of the ways through which they tackle wastes is through recycling, meaning wastes are reused for other purposes. For example, plastic wastes can be refined to make other plastic products.

However, in Nigeria, we are yet to tap fully into recycling our wastes in order to reduce the effect on the environment.

What we mostly do is to use our wastes to fill lands, but there are better ways we can still use our wastes to benefit our people.

Now, let us look at the sachet water wastes, which we popularly call ‘pure water nylons,’ research has shown that this type of polythene can be reheated to produce a type of oil that can be used as kerosene, or even diesel.

At a time when the price of kerosene is going above the roof, have we not thought that the pure water nylons lying all over the country can come to the rescue of poor women across the country.

Today, the price of a litre of kerosene is about N250, depending on the region one is in the country.

If we can then find businessmen, or even state governments that can tap into this by procuring the machinery to convert the pure water nylons into oil, then this will go a long way in helping women, as well as in reducing the environmental damage pure water nylons are causing.

One thing about polythene products is that they don’t dissolve biologically, and they just keep destroying the environment after they have been used and disposed.

It is, therefore, the responsibility of Nigerians, and even the government, to look for ways through which we can recycle the pure water nylons and other polythene wastes around us, thereby preventing them from destroying our environment.

• Theresa Obi,

CBD,

Abuja.