By Binta Shama
In a significant move to promote sustainability, and reduce plastic waste, Prof Peter Onwualu has emphasized the importance of Polymer recycling in Nigeria.
Prof. Onwualu, who is also the President, African University of Science and Technology (AUST) said the use of polymers in Nigeria’s economy has been more irresponsible. Thus, polluting the environment.
He stated this during the 34th Annual Technical Conference/AGM and the 6th International Conference with the theme: Polymer Optimization Using Artificial Intelligence for Economic Recovery, CNG Conversion and Clean Energy Development, organized by Polymer Institute of Nigeria (PIN) in collaboration with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), recently in Abuja.
According to the keynote speaker, polymers are plastics found everywhere, and in manufacturing, one cannot do anything without plastics or polymers. “It is more available than glass in the production and manufacturing of goods and services.
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“The problem we have is that these plastics or polymers are very useful as building blocks, materials from manufacturing but what we observed is that people use them irresponsibly i.e. when you use a material, the way you dispose of it is very important. So, what we found is that people use plastics or polymers and they don’t dispose of them properly.
“Today, there are recycling companies that transform the same polymers thrown away into another useful material for making another thing but what happens in our society is that these things are put into the same garbage bin with glass, biodegradable material, and so on. At the end of the day, you have a basket of waste in the landfill site and the polymer does not degrade. And so, they constitute environmental challenges,” Prof. Onwualu added.
“If we put our acts together and make sure we use plastics responsibly, first of all, you can reuse some of them by using a particular one multiple times before you dispose of and then you dispose of them in such a manner that can be recycled and used again and so they don’t constitute an environmental hazard or pollution.
He further said that some people even try to burn them but when you burn polymer and plastics they make toxic substances into the atmosphere. So, this is another example of irresponsible use.
Earlier, the Director General RMRDC Prof. Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso, represented by the Director, Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Department, Dr. Abubakar Kolere said that RMRDC identifies polymers as one of the significant sources where Research and Development (R&D) projects can come out and the Council can partner with researchers, to fund and move forward.
“Our main task remains the value addition of raw materials. Another challenge that has always come to us is biodegradable polymers. It has been a challenge to all polymer scientists, manufacturing, and also the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Remnant of plastic wastes is a challenge and one of the ways to addressing it is by developing highly biodegradable polymers, especially from bioresources, starches, other cellulose sources, and all others, we can do quite a lot to develop the sector, protect the environment and mitigate the effect of climate change through global warming.”
While declaring the event open, the Chairman Board of Directors PIN Engr. Dr. Innocent Akuvue said that the use of polymers is inevitable. Adding that the use of appropriate technologies would project the theme.
“That’s why the theme of this year has to do with AI because the world is shifting. You need to go along with the best technology and how to maximize the use of polymers products. And I can tell you if we do that, a lot of jobs will be created for our youths and graduates of polymer sciences and engineers across the country.
