Rep member says Nigeria is major consumer of battery

1. By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

The chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Environment, Julius Gbabojor said Nigeria is the major consumer of battery world wide.

He made this known  at the launch of National Environment Battery Control Regulations

organized by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, with support from the Nigerian Energy Support Programme,NESP, Heinrich Boll Foundation and Alliance for Responsible Battery Recycling (ARBR), recently in Abuja.

Gbabojor represented by

Vice Chairman committee on Environmet, House of Representatives, Terseer Ugbor,  Ushongo/ Kwande Constituency, Hon. Terseer Ugbor said

“Nigeria has a major role to play in that industry because Nigeria is a major consumer of batteries and also a major producer of used batteries across the world due to our automotive manufacturing and renewable energy sector that relies on energy storage”.

According to him, all processes of the batteries is tied to Nigerian industrial process.

“The  product of lead ingot  is a primary resource for  manufacturing batteries which is a major component of the current power industrial sector. When  it comes to energy storage and energy usage.

“The Battery has a lot of value that will contribute to the gross domestic product( GDP) of the nation”.

He said the national  battery regulations is a welcoming initiative that will prevent and minimize pollution and wastes emanating from batteries in Nigeria.

He added that  the regulations will continues
to protect both the environment and public health.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas said the regulations aim to ensure the environmentally sound management of all types of batteries throughout their life cycle, from production, usage, collection, transportation, storage, recycling and disposal.

Lawal represented by the Director Pollution Control and Environmental Health,Usman Bokani said, the regulations would address the unregulated activities of battery recycling facilities and handlers which has impacted negatively on both human health and the environment.

He said, “it is widely recognized that batteries, particularly those used in renewable energy, telecommunication and automotive sectors, are critical to Nigeria economic development. However, the improper handling, that is, collection, recycling and disposal of used batteries present serious environmental and health challenges.

“The informal sector, which often handles waste batteries without regulation, significantly contributes to environmental pollution, including soil, air and water contamination.

“Batteries contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and
lithium, amongst others. When improperly disposed of, these materials can lead to
severe health conditions including cancer, kidney damage and neurological disorders.
“Vulnerable populations, particularly children, face the greatest risk from exposure to
these toxic substances”, he said.

He noted that the  unregulated activities of battery recycling facilities and handlers
have impacted negatively on both human health and the environment.

He said that the Ecosystems
around these battery recycling facilities have been polluted and waste lead is often
dumped indiscriminately in unauthorized locations without proper permits. These
practices therefore must be curbed urgently

Also, the DG NESREA, Innocent Barikor said, the enforcement of the regulation would help address the gaps in the abatement of unsound environmental practices in the entire Battery value chain, as well as prevent possible adverse health impacts on the target population especially women and children who are vulnerably involved in the mishandling of batteries especially Used Lead Acid Batteries (ULABs).

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Alliance for Responsible Battery Recycling (ARBR), Mrs Miranda Amachree said there is a need to create  necessary networks, partnerships, and collaborations to sensitise stakeholders to promote compliance of the national  regulations.

She said “This has been the objective of ARBR’s advocacy program, I am pleased to inform you that over the last four years, ARBR, along with our partners, have worked tirelessly to collect data and evidence of the growing battery usage and recycling activities in Nigeria.

“We have seen firsthand the impact of sub-standard collection and recycling practices on workers, communities and the environment, and we are committed to finding sustainable solutions to mitigate these risks.

“This prompted for the government to provide regulatory frameworks – the National Waste Battery Management Policy and the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations 2024 These instruments spell out specific requirements and guidelines for the usage, collection and recycling of used batteries in line with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program.”

She said “ARBR is now equipped with the necessary instrument to assist our members to comply with the provisions of the regulations as we believe that we can make a remarkable difference in improving environmental health and safety for a more sustainable and responsible future in the battery sector in Nigeria”.