One of the world’s most polluted cities, Lagos, has banned single-use plastics. It’s not so easy

LAGOS: Nigerian shop manager Olarewanju Ogunbona says he uses Styrofoam and plastic packs at least five times a day — nothing unusual in the megacity of Lagos, one of the world’s most plastics-polluted urban areas. The city’s over 20 million people contributed 870,000 tons of the world’s 57 million tons of plastic waste in 2024. Lagos state authorities last month imposed a ban on single-use plastics, but residents say weak enforcement and the absence of alternatives have weakened its effectiveness.

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