Zero-waste; A Solution to the Global Plastic Pollution Problem 

By Sharon Ambani 

On 23rd January 2019, a team of environmental enthusiasts embarked on a journey that has since gone down on international records as one of the greatest innovations in history. Led by Captain Ali Skanda, the group from FlipFlopi Kenya sailed along the Indian Ocean coast from the Island of Lamu to Zanzibar on a nine-metre flamboyant boat made entirely from plastic waste and flip-flops.

 During the journey that took two weeks, the group docked at various coastal towns in Kenya and Tanzania. Indeed, it was a sight to behold as local people, at every stop they made, scrambled to witness and be part of this historical tale.  

 However, for the FlipFlopi project team, it was not just about achieving the milestone of sailing across a 500-kilometre expedition on a colourful vessel. 

 “This was a mission to create awareness, engage key stakeholders and call for action against the global plastic menace caused by single-use plastics (SUPs),” says Katharina Elleke, a product designer at FlipFlopi project.

FlipFlopi project boat made from plastic 

 The plastic problem

 The project started in 2015  when the founder Ben Morison was perturbed by the growing heaps of plastic waste on the beaches and the streets of the coastal towns in Kenya. He started by collaborating with locals in clean-up activities along the beaches. This was not enough.

 He came up with the idea of turning the trash into treasure. Morison joined forces with Ali Skanda, a local dhow builder from Lamu and Dipesh Pabari, a plastic pollution campaigner to design a boat from ten tonnes of plastics and 30,000 flip-flops, a first of its kind. The project combines indigenous knowledge of boat making from the locals and new technology and machinery used in recycling plastics. They also design other artefacts and furniture made from plastic waste. This has created an income opportunity for the locals while conserving the environment.

 Although the project’s mission of eliminating plastic waste from the vicinity seems promising, it is barred by the global plastic waste problem.

 We first need to understand the origin of this problem. Plastic was invented in the 1800s to create a substitute material that would be inexpensive, long-lasting, strong and flexible to use. Before then, man depended entirely on nature, using wood, paper and other materials such as metals, hones and stones. The process started with the use of natural polymers derived from nature. Humans later started creating synthetic/artificial polymers from carbon atoms retrieved from fossil fuels. Currently, plastics are being used to make several products including straws, bottles, carrier bags, and pipes to name a few.

 Environmental lobbyists are raising concerns over the havoc caused by single-use plastics (SUPs) on the ecosystem from its production to disposal. Despite being developed for practical and economic reasons, the impact of synthetic plastic is currently overwhelming the planet. Unmanaged plastic waste leads to environmental pollution. Improper disposal of plastics by consumers has increased plastic litter in our surroundings, denying Earth its beauty. Mountains of plastic are accumulated in landfills. Plastics take a very long time to decompose, even up to 1000 years. They release toxic chemicals into the soil hence leading to land degradation. This impacts agriculture, hindering food security. 

 Moreover, floating islands of plastic waste are a major global problem interfering with marine life. The flow of plastic waste in aquatic ecosystems is projected to reach 29 million tonnes by 2040, a tripled volume from 11 Million in 2016.  The presence of microplastics in water bodies poses a threat to aquatic species as plastics block or injure organs, leading to death. Microplastics found in the air, food and water also cause impacts to human health. 

 Awakening figures

The plastic waste problem in the world is attributed to the upsurge in the production of the material compared to the world’s ability to manage it. It is estimated that about 8 billion metric tonnes of plastic have been produced since the material was invented. This volume is expected to double by 2050 if the trend continues. 

 Studies indicate that half of the total volume of plastics produced has been registered in the last fifteen years. According to The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development -UNCTAD, about 369 million metric tonnes of plastics were produced and traded in 2021 alone. “This is enough to fill 18.4 million trucks, each carrying 20 tonnes of plastics. A queue of these trucks would wrap around the globe 13 times.” states the UNCTADstat report released in 2022. 

 Plastic Ocean.org indicates that out of the total volume of plastics produced annually (about 400 million metric tonnes),  half of it is for single use only (discarded after use). 

While there is increased production of plastics globally, the rate of plastic waste management is worrying. The UNCTAD report reveals that only 10 per cent of plastic is recycled. The remaining 90 per cent finds its way in waterways, air, dump sites and landfills. 

 According to the United Nations Environment Program, Africa records the lowest production (5 per cent) and consumption (4 per cent) of global plastics. However, the continent accounts for 24 per cent of the global GHG emissions due to mismanaged plastic waste. This hinders the efforts to limit the global temperature below 2° C leaving the continent to grapple with the adverse effects of climate change. 

 Kenya, among other developing countries, struggles with SUP pollution due to improper plastic waste management initiatives. Plastic accounts for about 10 to 12 per cent (about 1 million tonnes) of the total waste produced annually in the county. As of 2018, only 27 per cent of the plastic waste generated was collected, with 19 per cent landfilled and 8 per cent recycled.

 Zero waste and circular economy

 Single-use plastics promote a throw-away lifestyle where immediately after using a product, it is thrown away. This generates a lot of undesired waste which is made worse by the non-biodegradable property of plastic waste. The evident negative impacts of plastic waste call for action that will drive zero plastic waste. To achieve this, environmentalists are lobbying for the avoidance of unnecessary and single-use plastics. 

 Speaking during the 8th Annual Circular Economy held in Nairobi on 9th November 2023, Karin Boomsma, the Director of Sustainable Inclusive Business Kenya SIB-K & Kenya Plastics Pact KPP, stated the need for manufacturers to replace plastics with substitute materials that are biodegradable and eco-friendly.  

 Karin’s sentiments were reiterated by Henrique Pacini, an Economist at UNCTAD who says that more should be done to boost the trade of plastic substitutes as trade dimensions play a critical role in managing plastic pollution.

“Global plastic trade is soaring with a 1.2 trillion USD trade This is quite high compared to the trade of other substitute material which stands at 388 Billion USD. More needs to be done to promote the trade of plastic substitutes,” says Henrique. 

 However, the plastic pollution menace is already here with us. What then can be done to manage the situation? 

 Several available initiatives in Kenya are trying to tackle the plastic waste crisis in the country by providing innovative solutions for reusing or re-designing plastic waste. This encourages a circular economy where plastic waste can be re-used by manufacturers instead of accumulating to waste. The FlipFlopi project is among these innovative movements calling for action against plastic pollution. Even so, these initiatives are faced with numerous challenges from volumes and complexity of plastic waste, to poor infrastructure and lack of capitation.

“Our people are willing to fight plastic pollution. However, the project is small-scale. We face challenges in managing the amount of plastic waste in the coastal region due to the lack of advanced machinery that can help us crash more waste. We recycle about 15 tonnes of plastics a month. This is quite low compared to the volume of waste we get from our collectors,” says Katharina. 

“The poor quality of some of the plastic packaging makes it hard to recycle the accumulated tonnes of plastic waste. Such complex waste cannot be recycled locally due to the lack of the required infrastructure in the country. Therefore, there is a need for better quality standards,” added Robert Njoroge from Mr. Green Africa, another initiative that recycles plastics in Kenya.

The two were speaking to journalists from East and West Africa who were attending a workshop on circular economy organised by Africa 21 and UNCTAD among other partners.

 There is a need for collaboration among key stakeholders to support such initiatives and maximise their efforts in reducing plastic waste and reusing existing plastics.  The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in partnership with UNCTAD supports selected manufacturing initiatives across target countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia through the ‘Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution Program’ SMEP. The program’s objective is to generate a cutting edge scientific evidence that can improve existing knowledge of environmental health and socio-economic impacts of selected trade-exposed manufacturing sectors across the selected countries.

“The FlipFlopi projected is among the eight selected projects in five countries supported by the £24.6 million SMEP program funded by the UK government. The program identifies and funds technological-based initiatives that aim at reducing the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the manufacturing sector. This includes addressing plastic pollution,” notes Glen Wilson, a Programme Management Officer at UNCTAD, who is also part of the SMEP implementation team.  

 Apart from partnerships, such initiatives can be supported by providing a conducive environment for them to operate in. Policies play a critical role in ensuring this happens. 

Hulda Ateka, Principal Associate of Africa Legal Network (ALN) 

Hulda Ateka, a Principal Associate of Africa Legal Network (ALN) says well-implemented policies help in reducing the trade, packaging and distribution of single-use plastic products. She says this will help countries to phase out single-use plastic products.

 Kenya, for instance, has implemented policies that are critical in strengthening the fight against plastic pollution. In 2017, Kenya under the administration of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, banned the use of plastic bags. Another law that helps manage plastic waste is the Sustainable Waste Management Act of 2022 which calls for the reduction of all sorts of pollution through waste management practices. 

 In a bid to strengthen environmental sustainability through policies, Kenya, through the Ministry of Environment is currently formulating an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy. It aims to shift the burden of waste management from the government and consumers to the producers themselves. They will be required to take responsibility for the proper disposal and recycling of their products, ensuring that they do not end up as environmental hazards. 

 “This policy is expected to play a crucial role in managing plastic waste in the country by encouraging businesses to embrace sustainable production, packaging, and waste management. However, the government needs to follow the procedures to the core as well as increase public awareness of the policy to avoid legal issues once the policy is implemented,” says Ateka. 

 While individual countries must set up policies and laws that will help manage the plastic pollution crisis, there is a need for inter-state collaboration to efficiently maximize these laws. 

 For instance, while Kenya has banned plastic bags, they are still in the public's access. How then does this happen yet bag manufacturers stopped production of the bags? 

 Enforcers have complained of porous borders where business people smuggle single-use plastics from neighbouring countries.

 “In collaboration with the police department. We have on different occasions caught people who trade plastic bags yet they were banned. Something ought to be done at the borders for this to work,” says John Muniafu, The Kakamega County Director of Environment, National Environment Management Agency.

Rosa Nduati - Mutero Managing Partner at ALN 

To manage porous borders, Rosa Nduati-Mutero, Managing Partner at ALN advocates for harmonised policies to fight SUPs across countries.

 “Plastic pollution knows no border. We need to find a common legal framework across the region to deal with plastic pollution,” says Nduati-Mutero.

 On 10th November 2023, Nduati was among the policymakers who tabled a draft Bill to the East African Legislative Assembly EALA Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources in a bid to harmonise SUP legislation across the East Africa Community.