Environmentalists Renew Push For Sustainable Alternative Use Of Plastics

Despite increased awareness and recent ban on single-use plastics, plastic consumption remains high, even as environmentalists are calling for more drastic measures to address the issue.

The renewed push comes due to the alarming rate at which plastic waste is accumulating in oceans and landfills, despite government efforts to curb it, said environmentalists who deliberated at the ‘Beyond The Plastic Ban (Webinar)’ organised by Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF) in collaboration with Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), Global Initiative for Environment and Reconciliation Rwanda, Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria) and Center for EarthWorks, on Thursday.

The executive director of Renevlyn Development Initiative, Philip Jakpor, said single-use plastic bags do not easily decompose, adding that it has become so bad that in some dead fish, plastics were found. “Medical experts also warn about plastics and plastic particles in our food. Plastic as you also know is a product from fossil fuels,” he stated.

Globally, the increase in plastic waste is growing very rapidly. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) noted, in 2021 that there were 460 million tons of plastic used, the amount increased sharply from year 2000 which was 353 million tons. “But the statistics has grown faster after that. An important issue that remains with plastic use is the issue of waste generation,” Jakpor said, while calling on the government to think in the direction of a more sustainable alternative to the use of plastic.

As for clean energy campaigner, GAIA Africa, Weyinmi Okotie, Nigeria stands at a critical junction in its fight against plastic pollution, adding that the recent bans on single use plastic by the Lagos state government and other forward thinking states in Nigeria represent a significant step in the right direction, as this measure aligns with the goals of the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management, adopted in 2022, with the aim of eliminating plastic waste by 2025.

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While these bans are commendable, Okotie said they are just a beginning as the challenges the country faces with plastic waste go beyond single use items. “In cities like Lagos, where its population is soaring, plastic waste is increasingly alarming. While the bans on single use plastic is a crucial first step, it is imperative that we look at the bigger picture. A realistic plan for ending plastic pollution must involve more than just bans, it requires a robust framework on plastic design, production and recycling. We need to push for innovative alternatives to plastic,” he added.

Project assistant at the Global Initiative for Environment and Reconciliation Rwanda, Emelyn Ituze, said plastics are polluting the planet and choking the ocean, harming human health, and damaging ecosystems vital to livelihoods.

Speaking on how Rwanda won the war against plastic waste, Ituze said in 2004, the government of Rwanda started the journey of banning plastic shopping bags and released instructions on the use and manufacturing of plastic bags in Rwanda. “In 2008, the parliament established the Law relating to the ban of manufacturing, importation, use and sale of polyethylene bags in Rwanda. This law was later extended in 2019 to include additional single-use plastic items.

“The law prevents manufacturing, importation, use and sale of single-use plastic such as straws and food containers. Both laws provide penalties and strong means of their enforcement. Factories using plastic bags were fined between RWF 100,000 (USD 101.95) and RWF 500,000 (USD 509.77) and owners facing jail time of 6-12 months. Individuals selling banned bags were fined between RWF 10,000 (USD 10.20) and RWF 300,000 (USD 305.86). Individuals purchasing banned bags were fined between RRWF 5,000 (USD 5.10) and RWF 100,000 (USD 101.95),” Ituze disclosed.

Since introducing the law banning plastic bags, the project assistant said the Rwandan government began supporting local factories that started the transition to producing materials made out of bamboo and paper, as well as other alternatives to plastic, adding that paper shopping bags replaced plastic bags in shopping packaging due to the fact that they can get decomposed in a short period.

Ituze commended the Nigerian government for banning single-use plastics, while calling on everyone, including the government, security officials and civil society to play their part in eradicating the use of plastics. “Of course there is a need for strictness but it’s simply a matter of changing our habits and choosing sustainable alternatives that won’t cost the earth. Together, we can beat plastic pollution and protect our health, and the health of generations to come,” she added.