Plastics kill, damage environment - Expert

An expert in Toxicology, Prof Orish Ebere Orisakwe said chemicals substances used in producing plastics and polythene bags are deadly poisons if not properly handled.

Orisakwe who is a Professor of Toxicology from University of Port-Harcourt made the remark in his paper presentation titled: Plastics and our Stolen Future: A Tale of Toxicology and Epigenetics of BPA” at an international conference organized by West African Society of Toxicology in collaboration with UniAbuja, in Abuja, yesterday.

According to him, the chemicals are killer poisons that have adverse effect to humans, animals and environment.

“I mentioned in my presentation that poison does not respect your status. The same thing it does in your body is the same it does in the truckpusher body. So it is important that policy makers know that we are living with deadly substances,” he said.

The University don who categorized Polythene bags and plastics as polymers also said they contained several substances that are dangerous to human beings.

According him, one of the substances contained in polythene bags and plastics which is known as “Bisphenol A” or “BPA” has health concern.

But he lamented that most people do not know the dangers of these chemicals to their lives and their environment.

He called on Government to take proactive measure to remove all plastics, pure water bags from the streets for safer and healthier environment.