Ministry Alerts On Effluent Pollution

Effluent pollution is increasing due to expansion in industrial activities in the country, Mr Ganiyu Ajikanle, the Assistant Director, Pollution Control Department of the Federal Ministry of Environment, said in Abuja recently.

Effluent is waste water discharged from industrial facilities.

Ajikanle told The Tide source that the discharge of untreated waste water posed a serious environmental concern to all levels of government.

He said that waste water could alter the receiving environment and that the result might be harmful to man and other living things.

According to him, the failure to achieve effective management of industrial waste and prevent pollution is not due to lack of government policy on the issue.

“Many edicts, bye-laws and regulations by previous governments, made provisions which required industries producing effluents to effectively manage it to ensure the protection of the environment.”

Ajikanle said that the Ministry of Environment was monitoring the compliance of industries with the National Effluent Regulation.

According to him, the regulation stipulates that industries involved in effluents generation should furnish the ministry with monthly effluent discharge record.

He noted that some industries such as Guiness PLC, 7UP, Okomu Oil, Presco PLC, Nigerian Breweries, PHCN, Addax, and Mobil, among others, had obtained industrial effluent discharge permit from the ministry.