By Ibrahima yakubu.
This is a special report that takes a look at how young Nigerian entrepreneurs are Converting plant plastic bags & Bottles into usable items to save the environment through recycling effort by some individuals.
Abdullahi Tsafe is a young talented entrepreneur in Kaduna state –North western Nigeria, who has succeeded in turning plastic waste into many useful materials in his little company called (Dadin Kowa) for over 5 years ,and it has been helping in protecting the environment against burning trash from dumpsites which usually pollute the society with many dangerous smokes .
Been the only specialist Tailor in the state that is good in re-designing ,branding, packaging and producing large number of plant plastic bags in Nigeria for flower business through recycling them , and conveying some part of his product to be send to west African countries, he was able enough to transformed many trash into wealth in Nigeria, thereby training other young Nigerians on the various ways of recycling these usable items to beautify flower containers.
Instead of burning them, the Cement bags are recycled and remanufactured, redesigned locally, which is extending the life of the resource and creating valuable green manufacturing jobs, because through this way, many people get jobs from collecting the trash from dumpsites area, and this enabled them to have some ways of generating little income for themselves.
He was formally a scavenger ” Waste –pickers” which collect trash and sale them to some businessmen for recycling ,but he later find out that there are many ways to make millions of money through recycling plant plastic bags and other material which could enables him generate some income, and be self-employed.
plastic bags provide an excellent tool for recycle organic waste in the green bin and through this way according to him our environment is save from issues related to global warming, while appealing to all Nigerians, Non-governmental organization NGO and civil society organization and other necessary stake holders to immensely double-up effort in supporting young entrepreneur in the country toward creating more recycling companies,and enabling environment ,so as to fight poverty ,youth unemployment ,and other environmental factors that is affecting human, animals and the rest of the aquatics lives.
Plastic plant bags require less energy to produce them than hard containers and they’re also recyclable that can be used for many purpose .
About 80% of the trash in Kaduna dumpsites do usually get burnt due to the shortage of recycling companies in the state , and lack of support from Government to encourage the existence companies is another problem,
The population of the state is about 9 million peoples, and Majority of these plastic bags were usually been picked in a refuse dumps by some scavengers on the street .
He said, turning these plastics bags which were been collected from dumpsites and other garbage Containers ,can help in reducing the dirtiness in the community, and this can assist in tackling the out–break of many disease which could affect human, animals and plants living in the environment, stressing also that Plastic waste is one of the main causes for intense soil and water pollution in many states across the 36 of Nigeria .
The young entrepreneur note that , One of the important environmental benefits of recycling plastic bags and bottles is that, it saves animals, birds, and a wide range of aquatic creatures from death due to ingestion of plastic. The chemicals in plastic can also pollute the soil as well as water,
These plastic bags were created to decorate flowers in the house,office,market,stadium,parts,schools etc , and the reason for that is to to trap moisture (and warmth, to a lesser extent) by turning the bag into a miniature greenhouse,so that it can easily assist in maintaining the soil temperature .
The burning of plastic bags releases chemicals into the air that we all breathe, causing serious lung damage and contributing to other long-term health problems. For people with lung diseases such as asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, even a single exposure to this type of smoke can worsen their disease. This can result in hospitalization, increased use of expensive medications and absences from school or work
He also pointed out clearly that burning plastic is one of the most serious environmental disasters affecting our health, environment, and our local community has already developed this attitude of burning all the trash without thinking of the consequences and the dangers of burning plastic in the community
Furthermore, he says that the local plastics bags he is redesigning is Stronger than the normal polyethylene bag ,because this type enable air to passed into the root of the plant easily, and that is better use of water and nutrients.
Adding also that Plastic plant bags cost less to produce (and therefore cost less for you) than plastic or metal pots, or other rigid containers.
“There is need for Nigerians to be recycling all their left over materials, so as to recycle their leftover materials for redesigning new product, and we encourage our customers to do the same as well as young childrens”
Indeed, the market for flowers business in Nigeria is booming,and the demand for flowers to decorate house and other places in on the increase, but also the shortage of the old plastic bags for recycling is becoming a major problems that is disturbing the plastic plant bags , “we have alot of customers across the 36 states of Nigeria, and we are now beginning to have new customers from our neighboring countries, that are also in need of these bags “
“he said the markets for plastic bags in Nigeria is expanding , and the job is too much for me as am the only tailor that is redesigning these old bags into another new bag for planting trees ,that is why am training some other youth, so that they can be helping me in designing new bags “
In a research conducted by African reporters this year ,it revealed that kaduna state government has budgeted 220,505,59.20 millions naira on climate change and mitigation projects,while 88,202,237.68 million naira is also been approved on plastic recycling plants,but also lack of such information available to citizens ,it become difficult in accessing information about the project
There are many flower companies in Nigeria that are perjuring the product of the entrepreneur .
Dr Ibrahim salihu is the founder “Teku international farm” ,he is one of the buyers of the plastic bags and use them in his farm fur nursing flowers and little plants
He said flower gardening is a lucrative business in Nigeria which requires little or nothing as startup capital. However, you must have passion for the business in other to make profit out of it.
Flower gardening and floral arrangements is a business that have been yielding billions of dollars for smart entrepreneurs in developed countries in Europe and Nigeria is beginning to wake up to the potential
One thing I like about flower gardening business is that it helps beautify the city. Its always a beauty to behold whenever you are driving past those beautiful flower gardens by the roadside. So get into the business today and start enjoying the beauty and the profit
He said ,the plastic bags is ever-lasting and its easy to use it in carrying our product from kaduna to another other place without having any problems
In another perspective, a young entrepreneur in kaduna ,Mallam Yahaya Ahmed has succeeded in constructing the first African plastic bottle house which according to him can last for over 400-500 years in a Village alone kaduna zaria road in Yelwa village.
The house was constructed and that it can be able to accommodate all forms of threat that is related earthquate,and natural disaster and environment
According to the engineer Yahaya ,The plastic bottled house can last for more than 400 year if constructed properly, it can stand the challenge of fireproof, bulletproof, and earthquake resistant and adapt to all kind of climate change and desertification.”
He explained that the plastic bottle house could be constructed anywhere, even on water if a good and adequate foundation is prepared before hand,adding also that Such house is constructed by thousands of recycled plastic bottles which are filled with sand, cement, and mud, and indeed, these components form a highly formidable wall which is 20 times stronger than brick walls, fireproof, bulletproof, and earthquake resistant.
He concluded by saying ,Recycling of waste plastics is one of the best technologies to avoid environmental air pollution from burning the
