Global levels of plastic pollution are showing no signs of slowing down. Recent figures from the the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) show plastics trade reaching USD 1.2 trillion in 2022.
Global levels of plastic pollution are showing no signs of slowing down. Recent figures from the the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) show plastics trade reaching USD 1.2 trillion in 2022. Despite a surge in public awareness and environmental campaigning, a recent report shows that the world is producing a record amount of single-use plastic waste, generating 139 million metric tons in 2021, 6 million metric tons more than in 2019.
International discourse about plastics has reached a pivotal point. In a historic milestone at UNEA-5 in 2022, UN Member States endorsed a resolution to end plastic pollution by forging an international legally binding agreement by 2024. As of 2023, 175 countries had adopted the resolution “End plastic pollution: towards an international legally binding instrument,” which addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, including its production, design, and disposal.
Against this backdrop, 21 parliamentarians from across the entire East African Community representing each of the 7 member states (Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda) came together to discuss a regional approach and legislative solutions to the problem.
Hosted at ALN House in Nairobi, Kenya, the event was organized by the ICCF Group, ALN Academy, and the Flipflopi Project with provisions from UNCTAD. This event was attended by the parliamentarians together with multiple stakeholders including authorities (NEMA, Kenya), activists, and circular economy experts. Among other topics, the regional caucus explored: the state of legislation across the 7 nation states, possibilities for regional legislation to eliminate certain types of plastics, trade and policy opportunities for plastic substitutes, and the learnings from Rwanda on what is internationally perceived as being a successful case study for an elimination approach to plastics.
One of the discussion points was a draft bill that has been tabled to ban the manufacture, sale, and importation of specific non-essential single-use plastic items across the EAC. At the conclusion of the caucus event, participants were unanimous in their commitment towards a regional approach to tackle single-use plastics, a transition to a circular economy, including increased use of material substitutes, and ensuring all East Africans can live in a healthier environment in the future.
Regional cooperation was determined as key to tackling the issue, since plastic pollution knows no borders, especially in shared critical ecosystems like Lake Victoria, and where cross-border trade remains a challenge.
As the Hon. Didier Molisho from the DRC stated:
"The time for collective action has arrived. If action is limited to one country alone, there will always be a problem through borders with countries that do not act."
As a region, Africa is one of the worst performers when it comes to managing solid waste, with the United Nations estimating that only 10% of plastic waste produced is appropriately managed, and without drastic changes, the total municipal plastic waste generated is projected to increase from 19.2 million tonnes in 2015 to 72 million tonnes per year by 2060. With few current strategies in place to improve it, there is a need to tackle the problem at the source by eliminating more of the most problematic plastics, a view that has gained support on the EAC agenda.
East Africa has been recognised as a leader in taking legislative action against plastic pollution since Rwanda first implemented a strictly enforced plastic bag ban in 2008. Of the 7 member states, all of them have passed legislation to ban plastic bags and several have enacted laws against certain single-use plastics, although there is little harmonisation between the laws and, in many of the countries, the bans have not been strictly enforced, leading to ineffective outcomes.
The event was made possible through the contributions by all organizing partners, including support by the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution programme, funded by UK Aid and implemented in partnership with UNCTAD.
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