Eunice Eze, is Lagos State coordinator of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (Nesrea).

She spoke about her agency’s activities, the fight against sub-standard products, counterfeiting and the dumping of electrical/electronics equipment known as e-waste.

Eze clarified issues on erection of masts and towers and why the agency is decommissioning some base stations. She spoke to peter ugwu

Overview of Nesrea’s Operations
We really appreciate the magnitude of Nigerians becoming aware of our environment. Before Nesrea came on board, it was a chaotic situation where no body cared, the environment were vandalized.

There were several complaints from communities, offices and people who really felt affected by the state of our environment.

Industries were discharging waste indiscriminately, even polluting sources of drinking water by various communities; proliferation of telecom masks; then you wake up in the morning to see that one telecom company has deployed equipment to erect a mask in your neighbourhood.

People complained, but we have taken care of that. Also, the issue of electrical electronics, people were throwing them around and burning same to the detriment of the public.

So, to tackle the menace, Nesera came up with 24 rules to regulate activities in the environment.

And we are not relenting in efforts to see that they are implemented.

 For instance, under electrical regulations, there is a part that stipulates requirements for the importation of electrical electronics.

The International Dimensions
There is also the Basel convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal.

Basel Convention as it is popularly called is an international treaty that was designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries (LDCs) and Nigeria is a signatory to that.

There is a harmful wastes Act that prohibits importation of e-wastes into the country. If you are caught at the ports, your guilty of an offense.

These regulations are the podia that Nesrea stand on to operate.

 Our basic responsibility is to ensure compliance among the parties involved. The importers of these items now register with Nesrea

 In 2002 when government initiated the platform, it was compulsory but free. About 232 people (representing different companies) registered.

And 177 of them were given license.

Before that we carried out investigations to ascertain that their claims were genuine, like warehouse locations, if duly registered with the corporate Affairs commission (CAC).

Meanwhile, we don’t spare anyone that goes contrary to the guidelines.

We have even gone a step further that when we receive alert we contact our sister agencies overseas or through Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) to take actions by being at the ports to examine the container on arrival.

Components of e-Wastes
Any electrical electronic product imported that fails to work, especially when it is not newly produced is regarded as waste.

Any one found broken is regarded as waste or it has not power cable attached to it. Because sometimes they have power cables, but were removed or were cut off. Even such items that are not properly packaged are regarded as wastes.

The product must contain the value that the buyer can utilize.

These are some of the ways we assess electrical and electronics equipment to ascertain their usability. More so, any one that is cracked has turned a waste.
 
We don’t want people to import such things into the country and start looking for technicians to repair them before they are sold.

The era will soon be phased out and the essence is that Nigeria has refused to be a dumping ground for anything e-waste.

It is a serious matter right now. Any container found with e-waste consignment is returned to country of its origin.

Effects
The major problem with importing e-waste is that we are yet to have recycling plants, where they could be turned to wealth.

What people do is that they will take the valuable parts and burn the debris, thereby releasing harmful metals to the atmosphere, like mercury, lead and bromide are there.

And some of these substances have cancerous effects; and when one is down with cancer, life in the line. So, is not just about financial loss, the environment is destroyed.

Because as they burn such items, eco-system, people inhale the smokes leading to cancer of the lungs, infertility; if a pregnant woman inhales it, it can cause miscarriage.

 And that is why government takes it serious; e-waste is not something we can manage, because we do not have the facilities to manage them.

Sensitization
We have carried out sensitization programmes in Alaba International market, Computer Village, Ladipo market that is for Lagos, however, our programmes have nationwide outlook.

We have gone round the ports training Customs officials, and terminal operators. Definitely, there have been good collaborations between Customs and Nesrea staff, especially during our ports inspections.

 In fact security agencies at the ports are aware of the effects continued importation of the items and the results have been impressive.

Once the alert comes we swing into action.

For instance, last month we intercepted 5 containers.

Nevertheless, we have recorded cases where consignments are released after certifying that the contents are not e-wastes.

We are not stopping there; we have extended our tentacles to the Standard Organization of Nigeria (Son) and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC).

 CPC in particular is bent on making sure that consumers get value for their money spent on purchasing goods. Such complaints they take them serious.

Recycling Plants
Again, Lagos State currently is the best environmental friendly state in the country; very soon their four recycle plants will begin work.

They have established collection centres for different categories of wastes-municipal, medical and sachet water/nylon bags; they are already recycling those ones.

 We are working with their agencies; Lagos State Waste Management Authority (Lawma), Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (Lasepa) to hype the imports of ridding our nation of e-waste.

 Meanwhile, at the Federal Government level plans are underway to have recycling plants at different locations in the country.

Talks are ongoing with expatriates to have them come live.

The fact is that they are capital intensive.

For the sake of clarifications, we have concluded plans for national recycling plants; we are only waiting for the budgetary allocations.

Telecom Infrastructure 
Like I said earlier, with Nesrea on ground erecting of telecom masts became properly regulated. We are also making sure that rules of the game are kept.

That is why the  decommission of some base stations.

Our concern is for them to appreciate that there are guidelines that must be complied with in setting up and operating these infrastructure.

For instance, when Nesrea was established the law said that the boundary should be 10 metres away from the bounding wall or next wall closest to it, while Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC’s) guidelines stipulated 5 metres.

Nesrea felt that was not enough, especially when residential centres are involved.
When the masks are established in open places, that is a different case. It cannot be 5 meters, it must be 10 meters apart.

When we moved to implement that, NCC felt that telecom operators are their babies, but Nesrea had broader perspective to that.

Nigeria is our country and we have no other country, so we ought to work together. Nesrea was established in 2007 while NCC started working on its mandate since 2005; therefore, Nesrea laws are the most recent.

However, the conflict has been resolved, because people came to terms that the most recent laws should be made to guide such segment of our economy.

We have no choice, but to work in unity, if we are to live in cleaner and healthy environment.

Challenges
People are not easily given to change.

There are a lot of resistances. For instance, currently there is a law on vehicular emission, but how willing are the people to cue-into the agenda.

Our air is polluted which results to frequent asthmatic attacks.

Two stroke engine generators, people put them on, close to their doors and sleep off.

It happened in Imo State of recent, where a family of seven went to bed and never woke. What happened? Their generator was on.

That is why we are not relenting on our efforts to see that such thing does not repeat itself.

Two stroke engine generators are totally banned in Nigeria now.

 Should any one import them, they must be sent back to the country they originated.

We are only going to allow four stroke engine into the country. Enough is enough.