The proliferation of plastic waste in Africa is escalating at an alarming rate, surpassing all other regions, according to recent analysis.
Currently, sub-Saharan Africa witnesses the open dumping or burning of plastic waste equivalent to covering a football pitch every minute, as reported by the charity Tearfund.
If the current trend persists, the sub-Saharan African region is anticipated to accumulate 116 million tonnes of plastic waste annually by 2060, which is six times higher than the 18 million tonnes generated in 2019. The primary catalyst behind the surge in plastic consumption in sub-Saharan Africa, where 70% of the population is under 30, is the growing demand for vehicles and various other products, driven by rising income and population growth.
Overall, plastic use worldwide is projected to almost triple by 2060.
The anticipated surge in plastic demand in sub-Saharan Africa, where numerous countries lack the infrastructure to handle it, has been unveiled just ahead of a governmental meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, scheduled for next week. The meeting aims to finalize a UN treaty designed to combat plastic pollution.
Rich Gower, senior economist at Tearfund, said: “The signs of environmental breakdown are all around us, but this treaty has the potential to curb the plastics crisis and improve the lives of billions of people.”
“Much of the plastic being used in sub-Saharan Africa is plastic packaging and ends up being dumped and burned,” he added.
He called upon negotiators convening in Nairobi to reach a consensus on substantial reductions in plastic production and to prioritize the involvement of waste pickers, who are responsible for managing 60% of global plastic waste, within the framework of the treaty.
Due to the absence of worldwide guidelines and regulations, individuals residing in developing nations, along with the waste pickers responsible for waste disposal, disproportionately shoulder the environmental and health consequences stemming from plastic pollution.
Dr. Tiwonge Mzumara-Gawa, a waste advocate from Malawi who will participate in the negotiations in Kenya, stated, “While these negotiations continue, the health of people in Malawi and across Africa is being impacted by plastic pollution every day.”
“In Malawi, we see burning and dumping of plastic waste every day, harming people’s health . These negotiations have shown that change is coming, but it will not come easily. There are some who profit from this plastic crisis and want to keep ambition as low as possible.”
In an open letter addressed to delegates from the Africa Group and other participants attending the negotiations in Nairobi, 80 bishops and religious leaders expressed their concerns, stating that the region is grappling with substantial quantities of mismanaged plastic waste, akin to “mountains.”
Just a few miles away from the location of the UN conference lies the Dandora landfill site, which receives 30 truckloads of plastic waste daily. This site has become a fertile ground for mosquitoes, flies, and vermin, elevating the risk of diseases such as malaria, cholera, diarrheal diseases, and other health issues.
In May, prior to the most recent round of negotiations regarding the plastics treaty, John Chweya, the leader of waste pickers in Kenya, who has played a crucial role in advocating for the recognition of the world’s 20 million waste pickers, expressed his desire for the treaty to encompass justice for collectors. He also called for provisions addressing healthcare, fair income, and improved working conditions.
Tearfund’s analysis is based on statistics from a database of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and is published in Global Policies Outlook.
