The Ondo State Environmental Protection Agency, OSEPA has cautioned major distributors and retailers of plastic bottled drinks, water and sachets to desist from displaying their products on the road kerbs and exposing the products to sun because of the health hazards to human.
Consequently, the agency has tasked consumers to start rejecting and do not buy such products displayed outside the shop which have been exposed to sun.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Hon Oyeniyi Oseni, who spoke through the Administrative Secretary of the Agency, Princess Korede Giwa gave the warning during a sensitisation campaign against exposing plastic drinks including packaged sachet water to the sun embarked on by the agency along major streets in Akure the State Capital.
The Advocacy Campaign which took the Environmental Compliance Monitoring Team led by the Administrative Secretary the team to Arakale Road, Ondo Road, part of Odopetu area, St Luke/Idiagba Tutun and as well as Oda Road.
Addressing distributors, retailers and attendants of plastic bottled drinks and water and water sachets at each of their point of sales the team visited, Princess Giwa supported by officials from the Environmental Compliance Monitoring Department of the agency underscored the need for sellers of consumables to adhere strictly to the best practices in the storage and selling their wares as stipulated by the manufacturers of the products.
Princess Giwa who further stressed on the adverse health effects inherent in consumption of plastic bottled drinks, water and sachets already exposed to the inappropriate weather conditions especially Sun Ray enjoined sellers of the products to store their products in cool and dry places and provide or construct shelter to shed the displayed products from direct Sun light.
Speaking in similar vein, the Director of Pollution Control, Pastor Oladipo Obanoye, said exposing packaged bottled water, drinks and sachets to the elements especially Sun light is an invitation to a serious health challenge.
According to the environmental health expert any plastic bottled drinks or water exposed to Sun Ray naturally under go chemical processes and reactions over a period of time due to the effects of heat on the plastic and the products which are injurious to human consumption
The highpoint of the Advocacy Campaign was the issuance of abatement notice to one of the major distributors of Plastic bottled drinks & water along Oda Road to construct shed for the protection of their products bring exposed to direct ray of sun light within fifteen days.
