Nigeria has shut multiple battery recycling plants in Ogun State after media investigations uncovered severe lead contamination affecting workers and nearby residents.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, or NESREA, ordered the closures on Thursday after inspections showed that several facilities in Ogijo continued practices that violate federal environmental rules. The action followed joint reporting by Premium Times, The New York Times, and The Examination, a US nonprofit newsroom.
NESREA said the plants repeatedly failed to comply with the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations, 2024, which mandate safe handling of used lead-acid batteries — a hazardous waste category linked to neurological and developmental harm.
According to the agency, operators ignored basic obligations, including installing proper waste-treatment systems, safely storing toxic slag, limiting emissions, conducting annual medical checks for exposed workers, and completing environmental audits of surrounding communities.
The federal Labour Ministry responded first. Citing worker-safety violations, Labour Minister of State Nkeiruka Onyejeocha ordered the plants shut on Wednesday. NESREA and the Ogun State Government then expanded the enforcement.
In a post on X, NESREA said inspectors found the “continued discharge of untreated, lead-contaminated wastewater into nearby land, widespread escape of lead dust due to poor ventilation, and hazardous slag left in open piles or illegally diverted for use in landfilling and construction.”
The agency added that recyclers are required to “transition to cleaner recycling technologies and participate in pilot projects for slag reuse for bricks and cement raw materials.”
Officials said workers handling toxic materials often lacked protective equipment, and many facilities failed to provide updated permits and environmental reports. NESREA noted that the crackdown followed months of technical support and warnings through PROBAMET — the Project for Responsible Battery and Metal Recycling — but violations persisted, posing escalating risks in Ogijo.
Earlier Seal-Up and Reopening
In September, NESREA sealed nine facilities in Ogijo, including True Metals, over pollution violations. But residents said the plants soon resumed operations and contamination continued.
Asked why the sites reopened, NESREA Director-General Innocent Barikor told The New York Times and The Examination that a meeting in Abuja with recycling companies led to the decision.
“Our meeting was very, very, very fruitful,” he said. “We are giving them a protocol. Some of them were beginning to take measures to address this protocol on how to begin to deal with some of their environmental concerns.”
Removing “legacy slags” would be the first visible step, he said, adding that it requires identifying a government-certified dumpsite with Ogun State.
What the Investigation Found
The investigation revealed that Ogijo’s lead-recycling factories contaminated the air and soil around homes, farms, and a nearby school.
Scientists collected 70 blood samples from workers and residents. Every factory worker tested showed dangerous exposure — with levels reaching 38 µg/dL, well above the World Health Organization’s recommended limit. Eight of 14 children had levels above 5 µg/dL, a threshold tied to cognitive harm.
Soil tests showed high contamination. One school playground measured more than 1,900 parts per million of lead, nearly five times above many international safety limits.
Residents reported recurring stomach pain, fatigue, and concentration problems. Many said black soot from factory chimneys routinely coated their homes.
Inside the plants, workers described crude methods: smashing batteries by hand or with axes, handling molten lead without protective gear, and dumping waste slag and dust in open areas where toxins drifted or washed into soil.
The investigation also showed that True Metals Nigeria Limited exported recycled lead to buyers in Europe, Asia, and the United States — including Trafigura Trading LLC. After publication, East Penn Manufacturing, a major US battery maker, said it would “immediately stop importing lead from Nigeria,” adding that it had tightened scrutiny of global suppliers.
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