Browsing: environmental pollution in Africa

environmental pollution

Environmental pollution: A swelling pain point among communities in Africa

Sustainability
  • A new survey shows that trash disposal, including plastic waste, is the top concern for urban communities.
  • Nearly half (46 per cent) of Africans believe citizens have a big role in addressing pollution.
  • An estimated 78 per cent of Africans want their governments to do more to limit environmental pollution.

Across Africa, environmental pollution has become increasingly urgent, with two-thirds of citizens describing it as a severe community issue. From urban centers choked by trash to rural areas grappling with deforestation, the environmental challenges are as diverse as the continent.

The Afrobarometer survey reveals that trash disposal, including plastic waste, tops the list of concerns for urban communities, cited by 37 per cent of respondents across Africa.

In rural areas, deforestation takes the lead at 28 per cent. Water pollution (17 per cent), air pollution, and poor sanitation also rank high, painting a grim picture of environmental degradation across countries.…

Single-use plastic ban

Rwanda, Kenya, and Guinea: Is Africa’s plastic-free revolution taking shape?

Africa
  • Guinea has announced a single-use plastic ban, signalling the growing momentum of the African plastic ban movement.
  • Guinea prohibits the production, import, sale, and use of single-use plastics, including plastic bags and oxo-degradable plastics.
  • The country now joins trailblazers Rwanda, Kenya and Somalia, who banned single-use plastics in their jurisdictions.

Africa is experiencing a vital environmental wave with the increasing rollout of tough measures on single-use plastics. With trailblazers Rwanda and Kenya having banned single-use plastics, Guinea has joined the elite club, announcing a sweeping ban on single-use plastic products and packaging.

Early this year, Somalia joined this movement, banning the use of single-use plastics beyond June 30, 2024. Authorities in the Horn of Africa country urged individuals and businesses to explore using environmentally friendly alternatives to meet their packaging needs.

This move by the West African country signals a historic moment for the continent's push to counter the…

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