• Appropriate design and standards for the control of specific pollutants should be put in place
• There should be awareness campaign inform of information and communication, which means that health education should be directed to all members of the society
• There should be environmental regulation, codes, standard guidelines and laws to control pollution
• Agencies should be established by all tiers of government that will enforce set standards and regulations
• Environmental health assessment should be fully carried out as a major integral part of environmental impact assessment prior to the establishment of industries
• The environmental impact assessment report should be strictly implemented by all stakeholders
• There should be an effective mechanism in place as response to emergency cases of pollution
• Proper urban and regional planning of industrial areas i.e industries should be sited faraway from residential areas
• Industries should minimize the burning of fossil fuels or change to less polluting fuels
• Adequate ventilation at work places
• Industrial effluents should be adequately and properly treated before discharged into water
• Regular monitoring and detection of environmental pollution.
Techniques of Creating Environmental Awareness and Education
Environmental awareness needs to be created through formal and informal education to all sections of the society, because environment belongs to all. Techniques of creating environmental awareness include:
• Among students (through education): environmental education must be imparted to student’s right from childhood stage. Environmental education should be introduced as a subject at all stages including at college level
• Among the masses (through mass media): the media can play an important role to educate the masses on environmental issues through articles, environmental rallies, plantation campaigns, street plays, advertisement and Tv shows.
• Public representatives forums for members of parliament and legislators to discuss environmental problems faced by the country
• Research and development programmes for seeking solution to different environmental problems
• Training professionals like engineers, architect and other personnel in the industries
• Designing instrument and technologies which are environmentally friendly and motivating people to use it for certain sustainable growth
• Training legal experts to deal with environmental legislation protection and claims in case of violation of environmental laws
• Publication and distribution of environmental related resource materials in form of pamphlets or booklets published by ministry of environment
• Organizing training, refresher courses and workshops for in service teachers dealing with environmental education.
Ways of Empowering Civil Societies, NGOs and Community Members to Serve as Watchdogs against Environmental Pollution
• The academicians and technocrats should engage and educate members of the civil societies and NGOs on environmental education through workshops, public lectures, research and public enlightenment
• Influential member and leaders in the communities should support, co-operate and participate in NGOs and civil society activities on environmental protection
• National and multinational companies should support and collaborate with NGOs and civil societies in environmental campaign awareness
• Law enforcement agencies and judiciary should assist the NGOs and civil societies in seeing to it that all establishments, agencies and individuals that run foul of the laws of the country on environmental protection are promptly apprehended and sanction as appropriate
• The legislature should co-operate with the NGOs and civil societies in passing appropriate laws that will regulate the management of environment in Nigeria
• NGOs and civil societies should in occasional programs discuss on environmental related issues in the electronic media as a means of informing and educating people
• NGOs and civil societies should be recognised by government for taking special interest in prevention of environmental pollution
• Students and members of the community should be encouraged to join NGOs and civil society groups.
Ways of Involving Community Members in Pollution Prevention
• Creating awareness and sensitizing the community members
• Implementation of environmental restoration programmes through active involvement of the communities e.g fuel efficient stoves, afforestation, sanitation, water and soil conservation
• The environmental awareness and education programmes must motivate and prepare the community members for active participation
• The local community leader and decision makers must be involved in orientation, training, implementation and management of the programmes
• Enacting laws and making it compulsory on each member of the community to participate in environmental prevention activities
• Enlightening the community members on the danger and harmful effects of environmental pollution
• Waging relentless war and punishing any member of the community who violate environmental laws.
Agencies Involved in Pollution Control
International agencies include:
• United Nation Environmental Programme (UNEP)
• World Bank
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Global Environmental Monitoring Systems (GEMS)
National/State Agencies includes:
• Federal Ministry of Environment
• State Ministry of Environment
• Ministry of Industries
• Environmental Health Department
Non-governmental Organization (NGO) include:
• Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF)
• Nigerian Environmental Study/ Action Team (NEST)
• Nigerian Environmental Society (NES)
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