Lagos Government: Plastic bottles exposed to sunlight can cause cancer

The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) stated on Tuesday that exposing plastic bottles to sunlight can raise the risk of many illnesses, including cancer, hormone imbalances, and gastrointestinal problems.

The government intends to include sellers and buyers of plastic bottled drinks through advocacy and sensitization programs on the hazards of such activities, according to a statement issued by the General Manager of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo.

Solebo claimed that contrary to an allegation on social media, the Lagos State Government does not intend to outlaw the sale of plastic bottles for beverages.

The health risk of eating beverages in plastic bottles that have been exposed to sunlight is something that the government is anxious to make sure consumers and business owners are aware of, he said.

He urged manufacturers and producers to provide retailers of plastic bottle drinks with alternative dummy bottles for use as product display instead of the actual plastic bottled drinks being exposed to sunlight, while informing them that the purpose of the display of plastic bottles by sellers is to create awareness of the availability of their product or merchandise.