LASEPA issues three-day ultimatum to iron and steel companies to tackle air pollution
By Tunji Faleye
In a bid to keep our environment clean, the Lagos State Environmental and Protection Agency (LASEPA), led by Babatunde Gbenga, the Director of Enforcement, took action on Monday. They conducted an enforcement exercise at Six iron and steel companies at Odogunyan Industrial Estate, Ikorodu area of the State .
The companies are:Top Steel Nigeria Limited,Germini Steel Nigeria Limited, Pulkit Alloy Nigeria Limited, LandCraft Steel Nigeria Limited, African Steel Nigeria Limited, SunFlag Steel Nigeria Limited.
The Exercise is aimed at addressing immediately the air pollution caused by emissions of oxides, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, and sulfur—substances that indicate heavy pollution and pose risks to human health.
Dr. Tunde Ajayi, the General Manager of LASEPA, explained that this enforcement was necessary after the agency identified some irregularities in the Ikorodu industrial zone through their monitoring efforts.
“As the environmental protection agency for the state and the custodian of environmental health, we noticed a few issues during our monitoring activities, particularly in a specific industrial area, which prompted us to take immediate action. We set out early today to assess the environmental conditions and explore how we could manage the pollution. We decided to give them a few hours to remediate and stop the pollution right away.
“What we agreed upon with the management of these companies is to halt their operations, cease the pollution, and allow them a few days to implement corrective measures. This situation also serves as a reminder for us as a city to enhance our vigilance. We need to pay closer attention to specific data points and utilize all our remote monitoring devices throughout the area.”
“It’s truly remarkable how the team came together to tackle such a significant monitoring effort, thoroughly examining the entire iron and steel industry in Lagos.
Dr. Ajayi expressed hope that during the holiday break, when production will pause, they can implement specific technologies aimed at reducing pollution in the area, ensuring it doesn’t negatively impact the residents of Lagos.
The General Manager added that if the six companies fail to address and lower air pollution in the industrial zones within three days, LASEPA’s enforcement team will return to enforce the closure of those companies.
He emphasized, “For the past two years, LASEPA has maintained a strict approach where anyone violating environmental regulations faces consequences, including a complete halt to their🌃 production. This gives them time to figure out how to resolve the issues before they can resume operations. If they don’t take action in the next three days, we will definitely return to seal them up or impose hefty fines, but sealing them up is the most effective solution since it stops the pollution immediately.”
LASEPA and the Ministry of environment @moe are tasked with developing a robust portfolio of environmental management programs and projects to foster a sustainable environment, working alongside other government regulatory bodies and international organizations
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