Ogun seals company over illegal dumpsite, waste burning

Ogun State Waste Management Authority, OGWAMA, has sealed Quantum Packaging Nigeria Limited, a paper processing company, for operating an illegal dumpsite and burning waste along Lusada-Igbesa Road in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area.

Special Adviser to the Governor and Managing Director of OGWAMA, Farouk Akintunde, on Monday said the conduct contravenes Section 2(b)(a) of the OGWAMA Law 2020 and the Ogun State Environmental and Public Health Law 2006, which completely ban open-air waste burning and unauthorised refuse dumping.

Akintunde stated that the company was caught as a result of comprehensive surveillance mounted on different facilities, including companies that are found to be committing environmental infractions.

He said, “As a regulatory body, we are charged with the management and administration of waste.

“Regrettably, I was here on a familiarisation visit to this particular company where I discovered that they dumped waste indiscriminately inside their factory instead of allowing government-accredited waste collectors to collect and dispose of it properly. They were subsequently warned to desist.

“This warning led to our surveillance team monitoring their waste disposal, and it was discovered that they operate a very big dumpsite on a large expanse of land near their factory where a lot of burning was equally done to hide their dastardly act, so the Authority and the state government had no option but to shut them down.”

According to him, the illegal activities of the company are inimical to the health and well-being of residents of the state.

He warned that waste burning is dangerous and causes several health challenges, especially cancer, warning that the state government cannot fold its hands and watch companies degrade the environment and put the lives of residents in danger.

Akintunde said the company will not be reopened until it shuts down the illegal dumpsite and puts up a remediation plan to rid the dumpsite of all waste.