The sustainable solution to Uganda's plastic waste problem

By Katherine Nabuzale

Uganda like many other countries around the world is grappling with plastics/polythene waste management problem.

This crisis is more severe in urban centres attributed to our poor attitude towards the environment and lack of a consciousness to our surroundings.  It should be noted that this isn’t the first time Uganda is trying to ban the use of plastics bags. It has been done before but with futility.

The question is, why the ban is never effective and what sustainable measures can be adapted to curb this polythene/plastic waste problem.  In trying to answer this question, we must first clearly define the real problem at hand before a solution is attempted.

Considering use of polythene bags as the real problem causing a spectacle of a landscape decked out in plastic waste, is ground enough for divergence of opinion on how best to fix the dilemma.

There are two major problems that have resulted into too much litter of polythene bags, plastic bottles and general garbage. One is careless and improper disposal of waste. Secondly, absence of monetary value attached to plastic bags, bottles and aluminium beverage cans that can be recycled, reused hence reducing on this polythene/plastic menace.

Policy makers should enact container deposit legislation, where a policy must be effected on a mandatory deposit refund system on all water and juice plastic bottles as well as on aluminium cans.

The law should also state that whoever sells plastic and glass bottles and cans subject to a deposit must accept returns of all such including those from competitors.

Worth noting is that glass bottles can be cleaned and refilled at least 50 times which uses less energy and produces less waste than creating new ones.  As one buys a bottle of water or juice, he/she must pay a deposit on the bottle. This will encourage return of the bottles to collect deposit which bottles are then recycled.

Given the importance of recovery to the availability to feed stock and the ultimate success of any plastics recycling sector, consumers must be appropriately sensitized through environmental awareness campaigns and regular educational programmes to discourage littering and enhance recovery.

In due time, littering of the landscape will subsequently decline, improving recycling and protecting the reusable system. Another example, if one has to buy a polythene bag every time they are in a supermarket, chances are, they will learn to store their bags, carry them along during shopping, circumventing  polythene waste thus, promoting reusing and at the same time avoiding littering. However, these polythene bags should be of a high density to promote reusing them.

Nevertheless, the overriding problem of careless disposal of garbage should be addressed with utmost strictness and urgency. Local authorities should be held accountable for proper waste disposal in their communities since they are the immediate leaders. This means, the duty of sensitizing families on proper waste disposal will squarely fall on their shoulders.

It’s absurd that we are quick to blame government over even the minimal of all issues like lack of pit latrines in some homes justifying the throwing around of human waste in polythene bags. This is just an excuse to avoid responsibility towards ourselves and the environment.

Local leaders in all areas should ensure that before one starts constructing a house, the plan includes a toilet or pit latrine. Health inspectors should play their role of inspecting communities paying keen interest in such critical amenities like toilets.  No doubt, fighting indecent and improper disposal of garbage right from the grass roots will yield positive and sustainable success.

Banning the use of plastic bags, no matter their size, is an exercise in futility unless combined and sustainable measures are instituted.

Policymakers especially those in the economics field will agree that in a consumer-driven economy, market instruments are far more effective in influencing consumer behaviour than announcements of bans.

The writer is a Ugandan living in Germany
rkatham@yahoo.co.uk