IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i2p672-d1317829.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Imported Environmental Crisis: Plastic Mismanagement in Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Gilbert Moyen Massa

    (Institute of Materials Science and Technology, TU Wien, Gumpendorferstrasse 7, Objects 8, 1060 Vienna, Austria)

  • Vasiliki-Maria Archodoulaki

    (Institute of Materials Science and Technology, TU Wien, Gumpendorferstrasse 7, Objects 8, 1060 Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

Plastic waste pollution is currently one of the main items on international agendas. It leads to more and more leakages and constitutes a dangerous threat to living beings and the ecosystem (toxic substances). Globally, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, while 22% of it is mismanaged. A large part of this waste ends up legally or illegally in Africa. This article uses the available data on plastic waste to shed light on the situation in Africa. Particular attention is paid to imports of plastics and the recycling sector, as well as ways to combat improper dumping and to prevent/reduce marine pollution (microplastics). The roles and responsibilities of actors and institutions in Africa will be discussed. It is urgent for the international community, in cooperation with the local plastic/textile industries, to establish an effective and well-structured collection system for plastic and textile waste. This will help maximize the collection rate and minimize landfills through recycling. It is also necessary to encourage both the plastic and textile industries to opt for product designs that use easily recyclable materials (eco-design), and this option is crucial.

Suggested Citation

  • Gilbert Moyen Massa & Vasiliki-Maria Archodoulaki, 2024. "An Imported Environmental Crisis: Plastic Mismanagement in Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-18, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:2:p:672-:d:1317829
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/672/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/672/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jiajia Zheng & Sangwon Suh, 2019. "Strategies to reduce the global carbon footprint of plastics," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(5), pages 374-378, May.
    2. Bassey, Uduak & Sarquah, Khadija & Hartmann, Michael & Tom, Abasi-ofon & Beck, Gesa & Antwi, Edward & Narra, Satyanarayana & Nelles, Michael, 2023. "Thermal treatment options for single-use, multilayered and composite waste plastics in Africa," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    3. Esteve-Turrillas, F.A. & de la Guardia, M., 2017. "Environmental impact of Recover cotton in textile industry," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 107-115.
    4. Jiajia Zheng & Sangwon Suh, 2019. "Publisher Correction: Strategies to reduce the global carbon footprint of plastics," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(7), pages 567-567, July.
    5. Juan A. Conesa & Samuel S. Nuñez & Núria Ortuño & Julia Moltó, 2021. "PAH and POP Presence in Plastic Waste and Recyclates: State of the Art," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-16, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Milon Selvam Dennison & Sathish Kumar Paramasivam & Titus Wanazusi & Kirubanidhi Jebabalan Sundarrajan & Bubu Pius Erheyovwe & Abisha Meji Marshal Williams, 2025. "Addressing Plastic Waste Challenges in Africa: The Potential of Pyrolysis for Waste-to-Energy Conversion," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-41, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Konrad, Kai A. & Lommerud, Kjell Erik, 2021. "Effective climate policy needs non-combustion uses for hydrocarbons," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    2. N. O. Kapustin & D. A. Grushevenko, 2023. "Assessment of Long-Term Prospects for Demand in the Plastics Market in the Face of Industry Transformation," Studies on Russian Economic Development, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 243-253, April.
    3. Quinten Scheers & Philippe Nimmegeers & Or Galant & Sabrina Spatari & Niko Brande & Joost Brancart & Pieter Billen, 2025. "Assessing the Potential of Biodegradable Plastics in a Circular Economy: A Methodological Outlook," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 1291-1305, April.
    4. Nechumi Malovicki-Yaffe & Boaz Hameiri & Leah Bloy & Ram Fishman, 2025. "Environmental taxation triggers persistent psychological resistance to climate policy," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 58(1), pages 145-159, March.
    5. Erfan Oliaei & Peter Olsén & Tom Lindström & Lars A. Berglund, 2022. "Highly reinforced and degradable lignocellulose biocomposites by polymerization of new polyester oligomers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Michael Odei Erdiaw‐Kwasie & Kofi Kusi Owusu‐Ansah & Matthew Abunyewah, 2024. "Amplifying circular technological innovation for low greenhouse emissions: Empirical evidence from 30 advanced and emerging economies," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(4), pages 3708-3721, August.
    7. Haley Stockham & Asmita Khanal & Sushil Adhikari & Ajay Shah, 2025. "Evaluation of Co-Pelletization of Corn Stover and Plastic Waste as an Alternative Fuel Source for Cement Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-21, October.
    8. Priyadarshi Roy Chowdhury & Himani Medhi & Krishna G. Bhattacharyya & Chaudhery Mustansar Hussain, 2023. "Impacts of emerging and novel plastic waste variants on marine and coastal ecosystems: Challenges and implications on the circular economy," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(5), September.
    9. World Bank, 2023. "Tackling Plastics Pollution," World Bank Publications - Reports 40458, The World Bank Group.
    10. Sijing Zhang & Jingxiang Wang & Dewen Su & Xiao Xiao, 2025. "Facile visible-light upcycling of diverse waste plastics using a single organocatalyst with minimal loadings," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Livia Cabernard & Stephan Pfister & Christopher Oberschelp & Stefanie Hellweg, 2022. "Growing environmental footprint of plastics driven by coal combustion," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(2), pages 139-148, February.
    12. Quan-Hoang Vuong & Manh-Tung Ho & Hong-Kong To Nguyen & Minh-Hoang Nguyen, 2019. "The trilemma of sustainable industrial growth: evidence from a piloting OECD’s Green city," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-14, December.
    13. Aditya Chidepatil & Prabhleen Bindra & Devyani Kulkarni & Mustafa Qazi & Meghana Kshirsagar & Krishnaswamy Sankaran, 2020. "From Trash to Cash: How Blockchain and Multi-Sensor-Driven Artificial Intelligence Can Transform Circular Economy of Plastic Waste?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-16, April.
    14. Elisabeth Van Roijen & Sabbie A. Miller, 2025. "Leveraging biogenic resources to achieve global plastic decarbonization by 2050," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    15. Hunt, Julian David & Nascimento, Andreas & Nascimento, Nazem & Vieira, Lara Werncke & Romero, Oldrich Joel, 2022. "Possible pathways for oil and gas companies in a sustainable future: From the perspective of a hydrogen economy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    16. Arpan D. Patel & Zoé O. G. Schyns & Thomas W. Franklin & Michael P. Shaver, 2024. "Defining quality by quantifying degradation in the mechanical recycling of polyethylene," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    17. Pavel A. Kots & Tianjun Xie & Brandon C. Vance & Caitlin M. Quinn & Matheus Dorneles Mello & J. Anibal Boscoboinik & Cong Wang & Pawan Kumar & Eric A. Stach & Nebojsa S. Marinkovic & Lu Ma & Steven N., 2022. "Electronic modulation of metal-support interactions improves polypropylene hydrogenolysis over ruthenium catalysts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    18. Yu Qi & Ruying Gong & Xianlai Zeng & Junfeng Wang, 2022. "Examining the Temporal and Spatial Models of China’s Circular Economy Based upon Detailed Data of E-Plastic Recycling," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-10, February.
    19. Magdalena Klotz & Melanie Haupt & Stefanie Hellweg, 2023. "Potentials and limits of mechanical plastic recycling," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(4), pages 1043-1059, August.
    20. Kulandaivel Duraisamy & Rahamathullah Ismailgani & Sathiyagnanam Amudhavalli Paramasivam & Gopal Kaliyaperumal & Damodharan Dillikannan, 2021. "Emission profiling of a common rail direct injection diesel engine fueled with hydrocarbon fuel extracted from waste high density polyethylene as a partial replacement for diesel with some modificatio," Energy & Environment, , vol. 32(3), pages 481-505, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:2:p:672-:d:1317829. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.