By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has taken decisive action against environmental violators in two separate incidents.
In Ogijo, Ogun State, NESREA, in collaboration with the State Ministry of Environment, sealed off recycling facilities for failing to comply with the provisions of the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations 2024 and the Protocol developed by NESREA to ensure environmentally sound management of used lead acid batteries and safeguard the health of residents and the environment.
Under the protocol, the facilities were committed to managing ULAB slag and base metal residue in a safe, environmentally sound, and socially responsible manner and prioritizing staff health and safety, including annual blood lead testing and provision of Personal Protective Equipment.
NESREA, in collaboration with the Ogun State government and other partners under the Project for Responsible Battery and Metal Recycling (PROBAMET), had carried out extensive assessments and sensitization of operators in the sector on international best practices in the recycling sector.
The facilities were not managing used lead acid batteries and slag in an environmentally sound manner, posing health risks to residents and the environment.
Similarly, NESREA has intensified its regulatory duties by shutting down Cornerstone, a quarry managed by Istanbul Quarry in Abuja, after a blasting operation injured students and staff of Graceland High School and damaged school properties.
Nwamaka Ejiofor, Assistant Director of Press at NESREA, said in a press release that the agency’s investigation revealed that the quarry’s operations were contrary to the National Environmental (Quarrying and Blasting Operations) Regulations 2013. NESREA emphasized that the facility will face sanctions for violating environmental regulations and putting lives at risk. The agency is committed to ensuring environmental compliance and protecting public health and safety.
NESREA Deputy Director of Conservation Monitoring, Glory Uboh, said the agency took the step to shut down the facility because its operations were contrary to the provisions of the National Environmental (Quarrying and Blasting Operations) Regulations 2013. She said, “What happened is life-threatening; that is why we had to move in immediately to seal the facility. Cornerstone, managed by Istanbul Quarry, which carried out the blasting operation, will be sanctioned because our preliminary investigation shows contradictions to quarry operating procedures and regulations. We will continue with our investigations, and the facility will definitely be sanctioned in line with the National Environmental (Quarry and Blasting Operations) Regulations 2013.”
