The Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) in Oyo State has called on the Oyo State House of Assembly to reconsider a proposed bill seeking to phase out sachet water, urging lawmakers to adopt a recycling programme instead of an outright ban.
Speaking at a press briefing in Ibadan on Tuesday, the association’s Chairman, Oladejo Adegboyega, warned that the proposed legislation could threaten investments worth billions of naira, lead to job losses and reduce access to affordable drinking water.
The proposed bill seeks to phase out selected single-use plastic products in Oyo State by 2027 as part of efforts to reduce environmental pollution and improve waste management.
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Adegboyega said the association had written to the Speaker and Clerk of the House of Assembly after learning about the bill in February, but stakeholders were only invited after it had passed its first and second readings.
He argued that sachet water remains the most affordable source of safe drinking water for millions of Nigerians and cautioned that banning it without affordable alternatives could expose residents to unsafe water sources.
He also warned that the legislation could discourage investment and threaten thousands of jobs in the state’s sachet water industry.
According to him, the association has proposed an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme that would establish collection centres where residents could return used sachet water nylons for payment before they are recycled.
He said the initiative would reduce plastic pollution, promote recycling and create additional employment opportunities across the recycling value chain.
Adegboyega maintained that the association is committed to partnering with the government to address environmental concerns but urged lawmakers to remove sachet water from the proposed legislation.
He added that if the bill is passed in its current form, the association would explore legal options to protect its investments, workers and consumers.
