0ndo State Environmental Protection Agency, OSEPA, has cautioned against the habit of exposing plastic drinks to direct sunlight.
This was contained in a statement by the agency’s spokesman, Mr Bisi Agboola.
The warning is in continuation of the unrelenting crusade against the traders’ unhealthy practice by the agency, whose Environmental Compliance Monitoring Department has over the years, been stressing 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.
According to the statement: “The Compliance Monitoring team of the Agency was on a monitoring tour to stores around 0luwatuyi, St. Luke and Oda Rd in Akure on Thursday 25th January 2024.
“The professionals of the Agency reprimanded some marketers for displaying carbonated plastic drinks/ table water and exposing them to direct sunlight.
“The team also issued Abatement Notice to five stores following their refusal to comply with the earlier warning.
“The store owners were told of the imminent danger and health implications involved in exposing plastic drinks to direct sunlight.
“In the same vein, the Agency warned consumers against buying drinks displayed under Direct Sunlight.”
It was gathered that exposure of plastic bottles to sunlight can increase the risk of cancer, hormonal imbalance, and gastrointestinal issues, among other health conditions.
In fact,environmental health experts said that exposing packaged bottled water, drinks and sachets to the elements especially sunlight is an invitation to serious health challenges.
They warned that any plastic bottled drinks or water exposed to the sun naturally undergoes 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.
