Bottling Company Generates 2.5m Tonnes Of Plastic Waste In Lagos

Fresh information has emerged indicating that approximately 2.5 million tons of plastic waste have been generated by 400 community members engaged under the Plastic For Product (P4P) Community Activation in the Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Authority (LCDA), Lagos State.

The initiative, held at the Oba’s Palace in Ijora Kingdom, was organised in collaboration with key sustainability stakeholders, including Apapa/Iganmu LCDA, Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Sonnex, the Recyclers Association of Nigeria, among others.

With the theme: “Impacting Positively On People, Planet and Profit”, the 2025   Sustainability Week held at SBC’s Regional Plants across Nigeria, with several community engagements including Plastic For Waste Initiative, Green Skills Bootcamp and advocacy visits to traditional rulers and community leaders.

Speaking during the event, Nkemdirim Agboti, Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs at SBC, emphasised the importance of private–public partnerships in fostering community development and reaffirmed Seven-Up Bottling Company’s deep-rooted connection to the Ijora community.

Agboti added, “Ijora will always be home for Seven-Up Bottling Company, and we remain committed to growing and building with this community.”

Agboti conveyed the appreciation of SBC management to the Ojora of Ijora and Iganmu Kingdom, Oba Abdulfatai Aremu Aromire (who was present at the event), and the Executive Chairman of Apapa-Iganmu LCDA, Mr Jimoh Olawale Saliu, for their unwavering support of the initiative. Mr Saliu commended  SBC’s sustainability drive and emphasised the significance of community-led initiatives in addressing Lagos’ waste management challenges.

Also speaking, the Head of the Sustainability Unit, SBC, Lovelyn Okoye, emphasised that two of SBC’s core sustainability pillars: Circular Economy and Community Empowerment, serve as the driving force behind the Plastic Waste-Take-Back Initiative, underscoring the vital role of public involvement in advancing sustainable plastic waste management and Nigeria’s broader circular economy vision.

Okoye further noted that the take-back initiative is being implemented across all SBC Regional Plants nationwide as part of the organisation’s 2025 Sustainability Week. She commended the Apapa-Iganmu LCDA Chairman for ensuring the active participation of the specially-abled community, a gesture she described as a clear reflection of the LCDA’s commitment to inclusion.

The initiative aimed to reinforce SBC’s long-term commitment to environmental stewardship and leadership in the circular economy, as well as community engagement. Through the Plastic Waste for Products (P4P) campaign, residents are encouraged to exchange recyclable plastics for essential household products, fostering shared responsibility for a cleaner and more sustainable Nigeria.

The Sustainability Manager, Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), Yejide Abifarin,  added that all plastic containers are eligible for recycling or upcycling, explaining that the initiative not only removes waste that could block drains and canals, but supports the organisation’s Extended producer responsibility (EPR) whilst reducing Nigeria’s dependence on virgin PET resins, creating benefits for all stakeholders.