How Nigeria’s sachet water industry is fueling a plastic waste disaster: Video

The widespread use of these plastic sachets is creating significant waste and environmental damage, with approximately 50-60 million sachets improperly discarded daily, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

For small-scale entrepreneurs like 58-year-old Lisebeth Ajayi, sachet water is a lifeline. A trader in Lagos's bustling Obalende market, she relies on selling sachet water as a primary source of income. "Those who can’t afford bottled water rely on the water sachets to use them to cook, wash themselves or bathe," she told AFP. "Some will cook or wash their hands when they are dirty with them, and for some, it's to drink."

However, the unchecked consumption of sachet water has resulted in a significant plastic waste crisis. Environmental activist Doyinsola Ogunye warned of the dire consequences: "Nigeria has a lot of plastic sachet water, and when there’s a lot, it starts to clog the drainages and causes flooding and malaria and so many other issues like that for the environment, public health as well," Ogunye also told AFP

The environmental impact extends beyond clogged drainage systems. The plastic waste also threatens marine life. "When it gets to the beach, we have animals like the fish that we eat, and aquatic life like sea turtles, now feed on these pure water nylons thinking it is food, and it kills them as well," she added. "The danger of one 'pure water' nylon in our environment causes so much disaster. I would say it's a cocktail for disaster when this 'pure water' nylon gets into our environment."

With plastic sachets taking 30 to 40 years to decompose, the problem is set to persist for decades, filling up landfills and contributing to land degradation. Climate Action Africa noted that these plastics not only occupy landfill space but also reduce water infiltration into the soil, accelerating environmental degradation.