The National President, Polymer Institute of Nigeria, Professor Paul Mamza, has said that Nanotechnology of Polymers is the current area of interest in the scientific and technological world.
He said this was because plastic, in particular, is fast replacing traditional materials like metals, ceramics.
He expressed this while granting interview to newsmen ahead of the institute’s 2017 conference, billed for Port Harcourt, Rivers State in October.
This year’s conference of the Polymer Institute of Nigeria has the theme: “Nanomaterials in the 21st Century”, and is billed for next month.
“Nanotechnology of Polymers is the current area of interest in the Scientific and Technological world, because plastic, in particular, are fast replacing traditional materials like metals, ceramics etc.
“Plastics are cheaper and have higher technical advantage than the traditional materials and virtually every device is becoming smaller and more effective in terms of service – delivery. Government Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals concerned with polymer and allied products should take advantage of the opportunities at this year’s Conference of the Polymer Institute of Nigeria to key –into the deliberations.
“Industries are also encouraged to participate in the exhibitions at the Conference, which will help in showcasing their products and services to the technological world,” he said.
Mamza explained that this year’s Conference will be the first International Conference of the Polymer Institute of Nigeria, because all the lead Speakers are either from Canada, or South – Africa.
“Our persuasion has ultimately moved from passion to desperation. Previous Governments have a luke-warm altitude towards enforcing legislation on plastic disposal and encouraging research on environmentally friendly methods of plastic disposal.
“Polyethylene is the simplest plastic known which form the major component of the plastic wastes on our dumpsites, yet it takes polyethylene almost a hundred years for it to start to degrade on its own. This is to tell you the gravity of problems associated with plastic disposal our society is faced with. We may have higher plastics which are more complex and more difficult to dispose in a refuse mix.”
The president said the institute is made up of a pool of polymer professionals in the grades of Scientists, Engineers, Technologists and Industrialists working relentlessly to see that this menace is reduced or even entirely eliminated.
Commenting on how the institute is alerting Nigerians on fake plastic products, he said that the institute has always been on its toes to sensitize the public on fake plastic products.
