Plastics vs Mother nature
Apr 25, 2024
The amount of plastic products used in the country is much higher when imported plastic products are factored in.
Tourists watch Murchison Falls during a boat cruise on River Nile. Since no tourist wants to visit a country littered with plastics, pollution affects a country’s foreign exchange earnings
By Javier Silas Omagor and Caroline Adikini
Journalists @New Vision
____________________ David Odikit (left) with a friend sorting the plastics that he buys from street children
The costly impact of plastic pollution on Uganda is seemingly overlooked. Situated in the heart of Africa, where the majestic savannas meet the lush forests, the East African nation grapples with a silent, but devastating menace of plastic pollution.
“Plastic pollution is not just an environmental crisis, it is a socioeconomic and health catastrophe unfolding before our eyes,” Moses Mulindwa, a conservation activist, said.
Besieged by plastic
Uganda’s pristine landscapes are besieged by plastic waste demonstrating a big sign of environmental ravages left behind.
Small as it is, Uganda has since 2018 produced over 12,330 metric tonnes of PET plastics according to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
The amount of plastic products used in the country is much higher when imported plastic products are factored in.
Where there is production and use, waste is naturally generated. Statistics on the exact amount of plastic waste generated in Uganda is scanty.
However, in the Kampala Metropolitan area alone, 135,804 tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually according to the environment watchdog – NEMA.
As such, from the shores of Lake Victoria to the rural villages, plastic bags, bottles, and packaging litter the land and water bodies.
“These plastics affect our economy, especially the tourism sector, as no tourist wants to visit a country littered with plastics,” Mulindwa stated.
Despite global efforts to curb plastic use, sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to see a six-fold increase in plastic use by 2060, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The level of environmental pollution with littered plastic waste in particular has swallowed communities and our learning institutions up to the neck.
The dire consequences include choked waterways, contaminated soil, and suffocated wildlife.
“The lack of proper waste management infrastructure means that many Ugandans live amid a sea of discarded plastic, exposing them to health hazards and diminishing their quality of life,” Mulindwa said.
Highlighting the human toll of irresponsible plastic disposal, the activist noted that impoverished neighbourhoods are often inundated with plastic waste, turning once vibrant streets into desolate landscapes.
Dr Siraji Masai, the Kapchorwa district health officer, noted that the proliferation of plastic waste provides breeding grounds for disease vectors, increasing the risk of outbreaks of malaria, dengue fever, and other illnesses.
“The leaching of toxins from plastic into soil and water poses long-term health risks for Ugandans, including cancer, reproductive challenges, and neurological disorders,” Dr Masai explained.
Uganda's vulnerability
Uganda is one of the countries that suffers adverse effects of climate change ravaging lives, property, and the ecosystem. Some of these prevalent shocks include the Mt.
Elgon landslides, western Uganda floods, Karamoja draught, Sebei wind storms, Kampala flash-floods, and water logging in Teso and Bukedi subregion.
Jennifer Kakai, a resident of Bunyinza town council in Manafwa district, lost not only relatives but property including her fertile soil and home to landslides and floods.
“For everything I have gone through, I encourage the Government to enhance our commitment towards environmental protection at all times,” Kakai said.
“In my village, I champion every little course geared towards this course.”
However, Kakai is worried that plastic pollution is “becoming such a disability in our people and it will take some education to create the much-needed awareness.”
In a country renowned for its biodiversity, the loss of habitats and species is a tragedy unfolding in slow motion, owing to poor plastic management.
Planet Vs plastics
As Uganda grapples with the multifaceted impacts of plastic pollution, the entire world is faced with the same phenomenon and urgent action is imperative.
It is against that background that International Mother Nature Day, also known as Earth Day, is set for April 22, under the theme Planet Versus Plastics.
The theme aims to raise awareness of plastic pollution, reduce single-use plastic consumption, demand an end to fast fashion, invest in technologies that can reduce plastic use, and demand a 60% reduction of plastic in a foreseeable period. But, to achieve the objective, Alfred Okot Okidi, the water ministry’s permanent secretary, called for a collaborative approach.
“Addressing this crisis demands a holistic approach, encompassing robust waste management systems, public awareness campaigns, and legislative measures to curb the production and usage of single-use plastics,” Okidi said.
The Government alone cannot do everything. “For us to achieve the expected outcome of the fight against plastic pollution, the approach must be collective and then we can manage this plastic waste because it is something which is already with us. So, as we celebrate World Earth Day, that is the message we want to pass on. And to the users of the plastic materials, please, we also need to make sure we responsibly use and dispose of them.”
“Right now, a good percentage of the plastic products end up in drainage channels and end up contaminating our drainage channels, which is creating floods in some areas, but also creating pollution in water bodies and soils.
“As responsible citizens, we need to support that mandate and show that responsibility,” Okidi advised.
Uganda has always been criticised for poor enforcement of plastic use compared to neighbouring countries, such as Rwanda and Kenya, a revelation Okidi acknowledged with justifications.
“The Government alone cannot do everything, it takes the right mindset among its citizens to appreciate the proper conservation practices,” he said.
“As the manufacturer of packaging plastic products, one should be mindful about how the end of that plastic is handled. One who buys the bottle, where is this bottle going to end up? So, you as the producer, you should have that at the back of your mind, and promote responsible usage in the processes. This expanded producer responsibility is something we are discussing,” he revealed.
The environment ministry is currently working on the framework and regulations that will help the producers of plastics; not just targeting single-use plastics, but plastics in general, to have that in mind.
In a bid to target the young generation, Okidi revealed the ongoing pilot study on including environment and conservation in the curriculum after consultation with the education ministry.
One such group that is walking the talk is Tororo Girls School, in Tororo district, where students formed a vibrant multi-award winning environment club, which is an epitome of conservation in the area.
“We targeted students because they can easily have the multiplier effect towards good environmental practices, so many learn from them when they go back to their communities,” Abdul Barabwiriza, the school’s environment club patron, who is also the coordinator of Green School Initiative, implemented by New Vision, said.
As a club, the young conservationists have set aside time and a few resources to enable them to reach out to the neighbouring communities to create awareness and education as part of their celebrations to mark this day.
“We also have trees, which we shall be giving to the members of the communities upon sensitising them on the benefits of protecting our earth,” Robinah Agado, the club president, said.
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