The increasing use and production of plastics materials has hiked up plastic waste piles, raising health and environmental concerns for humans and animals. According to Statista's Cumulative Plastic Production study, plastic made goods worldwide exceeded the eight billion metric tons, with further increases forecast over the upcoming decades.
Collecting and repurposing plastic wastes that litter roadsides and clog rivers and oceans has never been that urgent to communities on the continent. However, with the problem becoming especially pronounced, many organizations have taken steps towards reversing this trend.
Such is the case of a school in Nigeria that takes empty plastic bottles as payment for students school fees. Teaming up with African Clean Up and WeCyclers, Morit International School helps children stay in school, and the environment remains clean.
Likewise, Network for Active Citizens (NAC), a non-governmental organization, collects old shoes and plastic bags for local food production. Based in Uganda, the organization uses plastic bags as containers for plants to help communities create rooftop gardens to enhance food security.
Plastic goods are a source of income in developing countries but also a threat to health and the environment. Currently, 127 countries, including China, Bangladesh, India, and 34 African countries, have introduced taxes or partial bans on plastics -- however, no real change is around the corner as many of these restrictions are partial rather than outright.
If you would like to help expedite this process of combatting plastic pollution, you can help by cleaning out recyclable containers of food or donate to any of the following organizations. 5 GYRES, Clear Blue Sea, Algalita, Network for Active Citizens, or Friends of the Earth.
Bibliography
Excell, Carole. “127 Countries Now Regulate Plastic Bags. Why Aren't We Seeing Less Pollution?” World Resources Institute, 13 Sept. 2019, www.wri.org/blog/2019/03/127-countries-now-regulate-plastic-bags-why-arent-we-seeing-less-pollution.
Garside, M. “Plastic Cumulative Production Globally 2050.” Statista, 14 Nov. 2019, www.statista.com/statistics/1019758/plastics-production-volume-worldwide/.
Ilevbare , Faith, and Abdulwasiu Hassan. “How Plastic Bottles Are Paying for Lessons in Nigeria.” BBC News, BBC, 2020, www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-48547893.
Lerner, Sharon. “As Africa Drowns in Garbage, the Plastics Business Keeps Booming.” The Intercept, 19 Apr. 2020, theintercept.com/2020/04/19/africa-plastic-waste-kenya-ethiopia/?comments=1.
Levenston, Michael. “Uganda: Using Old Shoes, Recycled Plastics for Kampala Ghetto Farming.” City Farmer News RSS, 2020, cityfarmer.info/uganda-using-old-shoes-recycled-plastics-for-kampala-ghetto-farming/.
Welle, Deutsche. “Making Protective Face Masks from Plastic Waste in Uganda: DW: 19.06.2020.” DW.COM, 2020, www.dw.com/en/making-protective-face-masks-from-plastic-waste-in-uganda/av-53866056.
