Dr Aina Olubukola Adeogun of Zoology Department, University of Ibadan
The upsurge in plastic epidemics has been identified as a major factor for increase in environmental hazard most especially cancers and other health related issues. This assertion was made by erudite scholar, Dr. Aina Olubukola Adeogun of Zoology Department of the faculty of science during her faculty lecture delivered at the faculty of science, University of Ibadan on Wednesday, 27 February, 2019.
The lecture which was titled: FROM SOURCE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES: ACQUATIC POLLUTION THROUGH THE EYE OF THE FISH hypes on the environmental consequences of water pollution as a result of human activities in our everyday life. She decried the unabated pollution of the water bodies with plastics which are made up of different synthetic organic polymer: “there is heightened sense of perceived risk to the aquatic environment within the past decade with estimated 100,000 compounds introduced into the aquatic life both intentionally and unintentionally into the environment.” She described environmental pollution as the contamination of the physical and biological components of the natural ecosystem to such an extent that normal environmental processes are negatively affected. This she said is characterised of developed and developing societies which comes as a result of “Industrialisation, rapid urbanisation and population growth with associated explosion in attendant gadgets to ensure a better living standard for humanity has generated large amount of waste of synthetic origin that cannot be broken down through biological process.”
She particularly decried what she called ‘Plastic Epidemic’ which implies plastic everywhere - pure water nylon, plastic bottles, etc. This increase incidence of plastics according to her should be a concern to all because recent data shows that some serious environmental and human health concerns – cancers, metabolic disorders and reproductive dysfunction as found in both fish and man, are associated with plastics epidemics. Plastic related contaminants have been in human urine, blood and breast milk to indicate widespread human exposure.
In the face of this danger, she therefore called for greater awareness in management policies to reduce plastic pollution with inclusive of all and sundry. As the pollution of the atmosphere subsequently leads to destruction of different ecosystems present in the environment like those of water bodies due to water pollution, it is only a vindication of the saying: “What we give to the environment, the environment will give back to us.”
The lecture which raises a timely call to save the environment was well attended by the representative of the Vice Chancellor University of Ibadan. The Governor of Ondo state, His Excellency, Rotimi Akeredolu SAN was also represented by his commissioner for education, science and technology, Hon. Olufemi Agagu, Prof. Isaac Olawale Albert, Professor of African History, Peace and Conflict Studies University of Ibadan Nigeria and other notable scholars.