Plastic Waste Management in Africa: An Overview

January 23, 2023

Africa generated 19 million tonne  (MT) of plastic waste in 2015; of this, 17 MT – almost 90 per cent – was mismanaged. On an average, plastic accounts for 13 per cent of all the municipal solid waste generated in the continent, and a mere 4 per cent of this is recycled. The African Union wants the continent to recycle 50 per cent of all its plastic waste by 2023 – this has remained a dream as Africa steps into the deadline year

This report profiles plastic waste management in 15 African nations, which  together generate  more than 11 MT of plastic  waste every year. It tries to captures insights into a diverse ecosystem of regional, local and national challenges that confront these countries, and suggests a viable set of policy interventions and operational actions that might help in turning the tide against plastic pollution.

The report is also an effort to strengthen and build the capacity of member countries in the CSE-initiated Global Forum of Cities for Circular Economy (GFCCE), and to enable them to understand that plastic waste is not just a waste management problem, but also a material production and consumption problem.