Bridge That Gap Initiative Rallies Nigerians to Beat Plastic Pollution on World Environment Day

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

As the world observes World Environment Day 2025, a strong call to action has emerged from Kaduna State where the Bridge That Gap Hope for Africa Initiative has urged Nigerians to take urgent steps to address the growing crisis of plastic pollution.

In a press statement issued to commemorate the global day, which is marked every June 5, the organization’s Executive Director, Gloria Kasang Bulus, emphasized the devastating environmental, economic, and public health consequences of plastic pollution and the need for collective action to tackle it.

This year’s theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” reinforces the global push toward reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainable living practices.

“Plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue, it is a threat to our survival, our economy, and the future of our children. We cannot afford to sit and wait for government policies alone. The responsibility lies with every Nigerian, every household, every community,” Gloria said.

Citing Nigeria’s status as one of the world’s top plastic polluters generating an estimated 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, Gloria warned that indiscriminate dumping of plastics in drainages and water bodies is directly linked to increasing incidents of urban flooding across the country.

“From Lagos to Lokoja and Kaduna to Port Harcourt, we’ve seen how plastic waste clogs our drainages, causing deadly floods that destroy homes, displace families, and kill innocent people. These floods are not natural disasters they are manmade,” she said.

The Bridge That Gap Initiative is calling on government institutions, businesses, civil society organizations, community leaders, and ordinary citizens to take meaningful steps to address the problem. 

These include promoting plastic reuse, recycling, and responsible disposal; organizing community cleanup campaigns, especially around drainage systems; discouraging the use of single-use plastics such as bags, bottles, and straws; and educating the public on the long-term harm of plastic pollution on health and the environment.

The statement highlights the broader implications of plastic waste on biodiversity, climate change, and the economy, adding that the fight against plastic pollution must be integrated into national climate and development strategies.

“It’s time for climate justice and personal responsibility. From our markets to our schools, places of worship to motor parks, we must stop treating the environment as a dumping ground,” Bulus added.

To commemorate the day, the organization also engaged in public sensitization activities and supported local clean-up exercises across communities in Kaduna, aiming to build grassroots awareness and action around the plastic problem.

Bulus, who also holds the traditional climate title Sarauniyar Sauyin Yanayi Chikun (Queen of Climate Change in Chikun), made a passionate appeal, saying “This World Environment Day, let us unite in this global effort. Let us beat plastic pollution not just in words, but in action.”