The United Nations has said that among all sources of pollution and waste, plastic occupies the very top.
Single-use plastic worries environmentalists the most, the question is though – how can we learn to do without it?
Sixteen countries in Africa have laws in place banning plastic bags, although not all are enforcing those rules quite yet. Senegal and Mozambique have become the latest to put bans in place this year.
So, compared to the rest of the world, how is Africa doing?
Angelo Louw of Greenpeace in South Africa says the continent has been “leading the drive away from single-use plastic in the world”. But he says the problem is that industry will always fight back against these bans claiming that it will result in “job losses… something that buys them time and pushes their interests”.
Sally Kahiu, the head of communications and marketing at the Kenyan Association of Manufacturers, believes it is not enough to ban plastic bags as it’s not sustainable.
She says you must give people “an alternative that’s affordable” and provide a proper waste management system “with a clear chain… that provides jobs and has people more invested in seeing a circular economy culture”.
Source: BBC
