Agency Rejects Manufacturers’ Calls To Suspend Plastic Waste Regulations

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has dismissed calls by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) for the suspension of the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations, 2026.

It insisted that the new rules were designed to tackle the country’s growing plastic pollution crisis while creating jobs and investment opportunities in the emerging circular economy.

In a clarification yesterday in Abuja, NESREA said the concerns raised by manufacturers stemmed from a misinterpretation of the regulations, stressing that the policy was neither anti-industry nor intended to disrupt manufacturing operations.

The agency specifically refuted claims that the regulations impose a blanket ban on single-use plastics, explaining that the much-debated 80-micron restriction applies only to certain categories of plastic carrier bags and does not prohibit all plastic packaging used in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, agricultural or manufacturing sectors.

The director-general of NESREA, Prof. Innocent Barikor, said the regulations provide a phased implementation framework that allows industries sufficient time to adapt. He noted that the requirement for recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) content in plastic products would only begin in January 2028 at 25 per cent before rising to 50 per cent in 2030.

According to the agency, the regulations are aimed at reducing plastic pollution, promoting recycling, strengthening producer responsibility and stimulating innovation in packaging design, while creating new economic opportunities across the waste recovery and recycling value chain.

NESREA argued that fears over potential job losses and investment flight were misplaced, maintaining that a well-implemented circular economy framework would instead expand employment opportunities in collection, sorting, recycling, logistics and compliance services.

The agency warned that the greater threat to businesses lies in unchecked plastic pollution, which continues to fuel flooding, environmental degradation, marine litter and public health challenges, while also increasing the costs of sanitation and environmental remediation.

Defending the economic implications of the policy, NESREA said the regulations are guided by the internationally recognised “polluter pays” principle, which requires producers to share responsibility for the recovery and management of plastic waste generated by their products.

The agency further stated that the regulations would boost local industry by encouraging the use of locally sourced recycled PET materials and strengthening domestic recycling infrastructure, rather than increasing dependence on imported alternatives as feared by some stakeholders.

NESREA also rejected suggestions that the regulations should be suspended pending the implementation of the National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) Roadmap, arguing that the new rules are, in fact, the legal instrument needed to implement many of the roadmap’s recommendations on recycling, producer responsibility and waste recovery.

While insisting that suspending the regulations would create uncertainty and discourage investment in the recycling sector, the agency expressed its readiness to continue consultations with manufacturers, recyclers, producer responsibility organisations, and state governments to address implementation concerns.