NESREA Intercepts 4 Containers Of e-Wastes At Apapa Port

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) on Thursday impounded four containers of used electronics, described as e-wastes.
Mrs Eunice Eze, the Lagos State Coordinator of the agency, said after an inspection in Apapa port, Lagos, that the containers would be repatriated to the countries of export.
“Importers cannot use Nigeria as a dumping ground. There was a guideline given to them on importation of used electronics,’’ she said

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) on Thursday impounded four containers of used electronics, described as e-wastes.
Mrs Eunice Eze, the Lagos State Coordinator of the agency, said after an inspection in Apapa port, Lagos, that the containers would be repatriated to the countries of export.
“Importers cannot use Nigeria as a dumping ground. There was a guideline given to them on importation of used electronics,’’ she said
Eze said that when the government set up NESREA to regulate how used electronics were imported into the country, adding that NESREA officials also trained importers of used electronics.
“The regulation and guideline specifies that if a part of electronics is broken or missing or has expired, they are regarded as wastes and cannot be brought into the country.’’
She said that Nigeria did not have re-cycling plants, adding that most of the used electronics that did not meet the standards specified by the government could not be disposed easily.  
Eze said that the importers of the four impounded containers were not registered by NESREA and would be surcharged N250,000 for the illegal importation before the containers would be sent back.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that NESREA and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in 2010 arrested many ships which brought toxic wastes into the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos.
In April 2010, NCS arrested and detained  ‘MV Nashiville,’ allegedly laden with toxic wastes and  “M.V. Gumel’’in June 2010 for bringing eight containers with materials suspected to be toxic.
Also, on Oct. 5, 2010, “MV Vera D’’ brought two containers of toxic wastes to the Tin-Can Island Port from U.K.