NESREA seals Sunseed Oil plant in Zaria over hazardous air emissions

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed the Sunseed Oil production facility in Zaria, Kaduna State, following persistent air pollution caused by excessive industrial emissions.

The enforcement action was confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday by NESREA’s Assistant Director of Press, Nwamaka Ejiofor. According to the agency, the closure followed multiple reports of continuous air pollution traced to the facility, which was found to be operating in violation of the National Environmental (Air Quality Control) Regulations.
NESREA said the scale and intensity of the emissions posed an immediate threat to the environment and the health of residents in surrounding communities, necessitating the immediate shutdown of the plant.

“The severity of the emissions, which posed an immediate threat to the surrounding ecosystem and the health of nearby residents, led to the immediate closure of the facility,” the agency stated.
It added that the action aligns with NESREA’s mandate to enforce environmental compliance and protect the public from the harmful effects of unregulated industrial discharges, including air pollutants and effluents.

The Director-General of NESREA, Prof. Innocent Barikor, warned industrial operators across the country to adhere strictly to national environmental regulations and desist from practices that endanger public health and the environment.
Excessive industrial air emissions, particularly from facilities located near residential areas, have become a growing concern, contributing to respiratory diseases, environmental degradation and a decline in overall quality of life.
Under the National Environmental (Air Quality Control) Regulations, industries are required to install functional pollution control equipment, adopt cleaner production technologies and conduct regular emissions monitoring to ensure compliance with permissible limits.

NESREA cautioned that failure to comply with these regulations would attract stiff sanctions, including the sealing of facilities, financial penalties and possible prosecution.