The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), South-West Zone has urged members of the public to safeguard their environments to guarantee sustainable development in the country.
The Zonal Director of NESREA, Mr Adeleke Ajani told newsmen in Ibadan that safeguarding the environment was a collective responsibility of everybody.
“We are all stakeholders on the issue of environment, nobody is immune to any negative impact of environmental violation.
“We all have to work together as stakehodlers to ensure cleaner environemnt for our own survival and sustainable development, whatever we give the enviornment is what is given to us,” he said.
According to him, the condition of the environment is increasingly affecting human health.
“If the environment is filthy, it will affect us; everything hinges on the environment; when environmental health is not okay, humans, animals and plants’ health are in jeopardy.
“As a result of poor environmental health, infectious disease outbreaks, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are on the increase,” he said.
Ajani said that one of the ways to safeguard environmental health was through prevention of air pollution indoors and outdoors and ensure quality air in the environment.
“Air quality is key because the air we breathe in talks a lot about our health including that of plants and animals.
“Ninety per cent of air pollution-related deaths occur in low and middle income countries.
“We need to ensure quality air for humans, plants and animals, so that we can have cleaner and healthier environment for sustainable development and for good living.
“We call for collaborative media support to increase awareness on the importance of clean air to our survival, and the risks of open burning of wastes and bush burning,” he said.
Ajani also appealed to companies to comply with the acceptable minimum emission standards in their factories.