Investigating the use of plastic bags in Lagos, Nigeria

Sammanfattning: Lagos State in Nigeria is faced with the massive problem of waste from plastic bags which causes the yearly flooding displacing thousands of residents and causes diseases like malaria. Plastic bags which became popular because of their versatility, affordability and durability have now become a major source of environmental degradation requiring the use of more environmentally friendly alternatives like Jute, woolen bags, and biodegradable types of plastic. The Nigerian legislature proposed a plastic bag prohibition bill to reduce the manufacture and use of plastic bags with fines and time behind bars which is Nigeria’s first attempt at managing the menace of single-use plastic bags. The goal of this study is to determine reasons for the continued use of plastic bags to contribute to better management of plastic bags waste. It further investigates the available alternatives and willingness of the residents of Lagos to embrace some alternatives to plastic bags. Anonymous online surveys were distributed across social media platforms and interviews involving shop owners described as “givers” who are off social media in this study was carried out. Responses from both quantitative and qualitative sources have been analyzed using the Nvivo software and connection circles have been developed to describe feedbacks within the system. Results showed that the lack of alternatives and convenience are the biggest reasons for the continued use of plastic bags in Lagos, Nigeria. The results further show that the proposed bill has not made provision of alternatives to plastic bags and incentives for manufacturers of plastic bags revealing poor public participation in policy-making of this nature. Overall, respondents have indicated a willingness to embrace alternatives to plastic bags and have mentioned that the situation is worsened by poor waste management in the state. Recommendations included more extensive research into the use of plastic bags with a bigger sample size with both online and offline platforms. This could encourage effective public participation in policy-making important for creating useful nudges in behavioural change in the shift from plastic bags.