The Ogun State Government has launched a major remediation exercise in Ogijo, Sagamu Local Government Area, to eliminate lead contamination linked to Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) recycling activities.

According to Channels Television, the intervention follows a comprehensive process audit of ULAB facilities and laboratory tests carried out on soil, water, air and blood samples collected from residents of the industrial community.

Speaking at the flag-off, the General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), Kehinde Bello, said the government has begun evacuating hazardous slag illegally dumped across communities in Ogijo.

He explained that the clean-up operation would take several weeks because of the volume of contaminated waste scattered around the affected areas. Bello said the exercise is aimed at protecting residents from the health risks associated with lead exposure.

He also announced that the state government has directed all ULAB operators to upgrade their facilities by installing automatic battery breakers to reduce slag generation and comply with stricter waste management standards.

OGEPA’s Director of Hazardous Material Management, Babatunde Lawal, said the agency will also carry out a bioremediation programme by planting vegetation capable of absorbing lead from contaminated soil after the hazardous waste has been removed.

Lawal urged battery recycling operators to conduct their businesses responsibly and sustainably to safeguard public health and the environment.

Meanwhile, OGEPA’s Director of Inspectorate and Compliance, Tunde Bolarinwa, warned that the agency would continue monitoring ULAB facilities to ensure compliance with the state’s new operational guidelines. He said any operator found violating the regulations would face sanctions.

The remediation exercise is part of Ogun State’s efforts to tackle environmental pollution and reduce the risks of lead poisoning in Ogijo.