The
introduction of public health laws have helped to control pollution and
safeguard the environment positively.
The
provision of section 20 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria (FRN) as amended made a very useful contribution in guaranteeing and
ensuring the environmental safety of the citizens as it states.
“The State shall protect and improve
the environment and safeguard the
water,
air and land, forest and wild life of Nigeria”.
Moreover,
the 1990 congress passed the pollution prevention Act which states:
the
environmental protection Agency must establish a source reduction program which
collects and disseminates information, provides financial assistance to states
and implements the other activities. The EPA is responsible for implementing
the law passed by congress called the pollution
prevention Act of 1990
Furthermore,
pollution prevention is reducing or eliminating waste at the source by
modifying production processes, promoting the use of nontoxic or less toxic
substances implementing conservation
techniques, and reusing materials rather than putting them into the waste
stream.
Nevertheless,
other public health laws that helps to control pollution also include,
The Air pollution control Act of 1955.
This was the first clean Air Act (united States) enacted by congress to address
the national environmental problems of air pollution on July 14, 1955.this was
an act to provide research and technical assistance relating to air pollution, control”. It is
very important to know that the Act “left states principally in
charge of prevention and control of air pollution at the sources”.
In conclusion the next congressional statement on air pollution would come with the clean Air Act of 1963 All the statutory provisions mentioned above falls within the public health laws which helps to control pollution.