African Project Aims to Reduce Releases of POPs from Plastics
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- 19 Dec 2024
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To promote environmental sustainability, the governments of five African countries have launched a USD 90 million project aimed at reducing the release of hazardous chemicals from plastics, particularly persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This initiative, titled ‘Circular and POPs-free Plastics in Africa,’ is spearheaded by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and support from the Basel Convention Coordinating Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the African Region.
Project Overview
The project will focus on Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, employing a sector-based approach that targets the automotive, electronics, and construction industries. Key objectives include:
i. Adopting and enforcing upstream policies and financial instruments to mitigate the use of hazardous chemicals in plastics.
ii. Collaborating with plastic product designers, manufacturers, and assemblers to implement circular economy practices and replace problematic products with sustainable alternatives.
iii. Assisting recyclers and collectors in separating hazardous plastic fractions to ensure safer disposal and recycling.
iv. Raising awareness about the dangers of hazardous chemicals in plastics and promoting safer practices.
According to a UNEP press release, hazardous chemicals are commonly used in various plastic products to enhance their properties. However, POPs remain intact for decades, accumulating in the environment and being released throughout the lifecycle of these plastics, which poses significant risks to human health, the environment, and the economy. The presence of POPs in plastics also complicates efforts towards circularity, as contaminated materials cannot be safely reused or recycled.
Training and Capacity Building
The project will include training programs targeting companies in the automotive, electronics, and construction sectors, as well as regulators. These trainings will focus on:
i. Avoiding hazardous plastic additives.
ii. Supporting fundraising activities for the disposal of POPs-containing plastics.
iii. Establishing sustainable funding sources for the environmentally sound management of hazardous plastic waste.
Each participating country will concentrate on one sector based on its national context and priorities. Percy Onianwa, Director of the Basel Convention Coordinating Centre, emphasized that by applying solutions across three sectors, successful practices can be scaled both within and outside the selected sectors.
The five-year project will also tackle data gaps in the selected sectors through comprehensive studies on the industry, its plastic-containing products, and plastic waste. Additionally, it will identify alternatives to POPs-containing plastics and suitable technologies for managing POPs-contaminated waste in an environmentally sound manner.
This initiative is part of the UNEP Plastics Initiative, which consolidates all UNEP’s plastic-related projects to enhance action at global, regional, and national levels towards a circular economy for plastics. By addressing the challenges posed by hazardous chemicals in plastics, the project aims to foster a healthier environment and promote sustainable practices across Africa, ultimately contributing to the well-being of communities and ecosystems.
