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[April free report] Plastic pollution in Cameroon

by Dzelamunyuy Simuben | 31-08-2023 14:23





Plastic pollution in Cameroon
Plastic pollution refers to the accumulation in environment of synthetic plastic products to the point that they create problems for wildlife and their habitats as well as for human populations. Plastics have been found to be one of the persistent polluters of many environment and keep increasing day-by-day in Cameroon. According to statistics from the ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development, plastic waste represents roughly 10% of 6,000,000 tons of waste produce every day in Cameroon. Cameroon still struggles in plastic waste pollution despite the fact the government banned the import product, and distribution of single-use plastics in 2014.
Whether being mistaken for food by animals, flooding low-lying areas by clogging drainage systems. Some plastic materials like silk and rubber exist as natural polymers and have not been implicated in environmental pollution since they do not persist in the environment. Nowadays, in average basis, consumer¡¯s income is more spent on all kinds of plastics that have been developed specifically to defeat natural decaying processes. 
Synthetic plastics that can be recycled or reused yet still bring persist in natural environment. They are improperly disposed off or dropped on the ground, or in water bodies, thrown out of a car window, heaped onto an already full trash bin, or inadvertently carried off by the strong or violent wind  near the location where they end their usefulness to consumers. They immediately begin to pollute the environment. Worse of all some of the plastics more especially plastic bottles are piled up and burned which pollutes the air that breathe. Plastic waste chock roots of plants from growing. Some plastic block drainage systems leading flood more especially during the rainy seasons. All these effects contributes directly or indirectly to diseases spread, death of plants, animals and destruction of infrastructure. Thus, the disappearance of some life creatures in our ecosystem. 
Indeed, landscape littered by plastic have become in many part of Northwest region of Cameroon and the country as a whole. The cost of banning plastic from the country as a whole will be prohibitive. Solution to plastic pollution should therefore be focused on the way to limit the use of plastic by principally changing our behaviors towards the use or handling plastics (separating organic residues which our biodegradable from non-biodegradable) before disposing. In addition, companies producing or using plastic should produce and station plastic trashcans where communities can sort out waste, which in turn will be recycled. Support should be done to individuals who convert plastic waste to treasure for them to scale up. Plastic innovation programs should be launch for I believe people are inventors and have a lot of  great idea skill to furniture or create many out of plastics without burning or causing harm to the environment. Some youth led initiatives like Eco- Friendly Generation (ECOGRIGE) have engaged in plastic recycling for urban gardening. This is a big move and this action involving every one taking an action in plastic waste recycling, reusing and reduction will bring a long term impact to reduce plastic waste. Together we can make the world beautiful if we change our minds and ways in which we handle plastic waste