[News] Oyo state bans use of styrofoam packs

The Oyo State Government on Monday, March 11, banned the use of styrofoam for food serving and storage.

Back in January, the Lagos state government banned the use of the food packs known as “Take Away Packs”. Abia State later followed suit.

Then, the Oyo State House of Assembly, on Thursday, February 8, 2024, urged the state government to ban the use of styrofoam for food purposes in the state. It, therefore, inaugurated the Food Safety Compliance Enforcement Task Force to oversee the enforcement of food safety rules and regulations in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, announced the ban during the Food Safety Stakeholders Forum, and the inauguration of the task force, held at the conference room of the ministry, Secretariat, Agodi in Ibadan, the state capital.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Akintunde Ayinde, Ajetunmobi said, “Prevention is better and cheaper than cure; hence the need for people to adhere strictly to food standards to save lives in the state.

“The menace of food poisoning, indiscriminate use of chemical products for food production, processing, packaging, and other sharp practices being carried out by food business operators have become great public health concerns in the state.

“The directorate of Food, Water, and Laboratory Services is saddled with the responsibility to regulate food business operations to ensure the presentation of wholesome edibles for public consumption in the state, planned to double her efforts to monitor/inspect food business premises in the state.

“Consequently, the use of Styrofoam for food services, storage, and other related usage in the state is also banned.”