The West African region generates around 17 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, the Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States, Hadja Mémounatou Ibrahima said on Tuesday.
Ibrahima said only 10 percent of it is recycled.
She also said the lack of proper management of the plastic waste has led to the pollution of oceans, rivers and soils and thereby threatening biodiversity.
The Speaker said the region is still struggling to eradicate plastic waste, a situation she blamed on infrastructure deficit and lack of awareness among the people.
Speaking at the opening of the delocalized meeting of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources/Energy, Mining/Infrastructure of the Parliament of the ECOWAS holding in Winneba, Ghana, the Speaker said plastic waste is a serious threat to the region.
She said: “
“Dear colleagues and distinguished guests, the impact of plastic pollution on our ecosystem is undeniable and poses a significant threat to our survival. The figures are alarming.
ECOWAS generates around 17 million tons of plastic waste annually, of which only 10 per cent is recycled.
“This lack of proper management leads to an accumulation of plastic waste in the environment, polluting our oceans, rivers and soils and threatening biodiversity. Individual efforts are not enough. We need collective action and collaboration to propose effective solutions for plastic waste management.”
She also lamented that “ECOWAS is still struggling to eradicate plastic waste from our towns, countryside and oceans.
“This scourge is an environmental threat and a brake on our economic development. The impact on public health is also a cause for concern, with increased risks of illness linked to pollution and contamination of water resources.
“At an international level, in addition to the numerous conventions adopted to combat climate change, awareness of the many negative impacts of plastic waste on the environment and human and animal health has led the international community to institute a “World Plastic Bag Free Day” in 2010, which is celebrated every year on July 3.
“At the community level, ECOWAS, aware of the urgency of the situation, has adopted a community policy for the management of plastic waste. This ambitious and necessary policy aims to promote the reduction, recycling, and recovery of plastic waste while ensuring the responsible management of non-recyclable waste.
“At national level, to effectively combat plastic pollution, certain Member States such as Togo, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Gambia and Senegal have already adopted legislation to regulate the plastics sector.
“In addition, ECOWAS has adopted the regulation on the Regulation of Plastic Products and the Harmonization of the Environmentally Sound Management of Plastic Waste in ECOWAS Member States, to alleviate the difficulties experienced by Member States in effectively implementing the regulations already in place.”
She also expressed optimism that the ongoing meeting will propose solutions.
“I am confident in the participants’ expertise at this meeting to propose solutions that will enable us to meet our current needs without compromising those of future generations.
“I believe it is vital that the Parliament calls on the Member States to invest massively in research and development, encourage technological innovation in the recycling and recovery of plastic waste and strengthen the capacities of local players in the responsible management of plastic waste.
“Above all, we need to adapt our school curricula to include compulsory subjects on the fight against climate change in general and plastic waste in general to better prepare them to adapt to these new challenges.
“The fight against plastic pollution is a shared one. It concerns environmental issues, social justice and sustainable development. By joining forces, sharing experiences and exploring innovative solutions, we can meet this challenge and build a more sustainable future for our region.”
