Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS, otherwise known as ECOWAS Parliament, has said that poor management of non-biodegradable wastes in West Africa is a threat to human health and food security.
The Parliament also blamed the poor management of non biodegradable
wastes in the region on lack of adequate infrastructure for collecting, sorting and processing plastic waste.
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Rt. Hon. Mémounatou Ibrahima, Speaker, Economic Community of West African States’ Parliament, said this 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 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) holding in Winneba, Ghana.
Hon. Ibrahima also identified lack of awareness among the people as one of the factors, and warned that plastic waste pollution may have significant impact on food security in ECOWAS region.
She noted that despite efforts made at different levels of authorities to combat the situation, ECOWAS is still struggling to eradicate plastic waste from its towns, countryside and oceans.
She said: “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 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, is aware of the urgency of the situation, and 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-recycle waste”.
Hon. Ibrahima also noted that to effectively combat plastic pollution, at national level, 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.
This she said is in addition to ECOWAS adoption of the regulation on 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.
Describing West Africa as the cradle of vibrant cultures and exceptional natural resources, Ibrahima expressed worries that the sub-region is confronted with a significant environmental challenge that threatens development and collective well-being through proliferation of plastic waste.
According to her, the impact of plastic pollution on our ecosystem is undeniable and poses a significant threat to our survival and the figures are alarming.
She said that ECOWAS generates around 17 million tons of plastic waste annually, of which only 10 per cent is recycled.
The Speaker said: “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.”
In the face of the challenges, the Speaker stated the imperative of thinking deeply to devise innovative and sustainable solutions to the problem.
“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 particular to better prepare them to adapt to these new challenges'” she said.
The Speaker noted that the fight against plastic pollution is a shared one. It concerns environmental issues, social justice and sustainable development, adding that by joining forces, sharing experiences and exploring innovative solutions, West Africa can meet this challenge and build a more sustainable future for the region.
