The Oyo State Government has announced a ban on the use of styrofoam for food services, storage, and other related purposes.
The decision, aimed at upholding food safety standards in the state, was made during the Food Safety Stakeholders Forum and the inauguration of the Food Safety Compliance Enforcement Task Force in Ibadan, the state capital.
The state Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, stated that the ban was part of efforts to prevent food poisoning and ensure the provision of wholesome food for public consumption. She emphasized the importance of adhering to food standards to save lives, noting that the indiscriminate use of chemical products for food production, processing, packaging, and other sharp practices by food business operators had become major public health concerns in the state.
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The task force, inaugurated to oversee the enforcement of food safety rules and regulations, will sensitize stakeholders along the food chain on the importance of implementing food safety standards. The director of food, water, and laboratory services in the ministry, Afusat Akande, highlighted the basic requirements that actors along the food chain must meet to be certified, including routine medical fitness certificates, evidence of regular fumigation of production premises, and water quality analysis.
The permanent secretary of the ministry, Akintunde Ayinde, who leads the task force, assured of their commitment to achieving the set objectives. The task force comprises members from the state Food Safety Management Committee, the Nigeria Police Force, the Association of Table Water Producers, and the Association of Canteen Workers, among others.
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This move follows similar actions by other states, such as Lagos, which banned the use and distribution of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics earlier this year.