Plastic Pollution In Africa, Africa is well known for its beautiful sunsets, pristine land- and seascapes and impressive wildlife. However, not too far from these idyllic nature-based tourism scenes are densely populated African cities. Most of Africa’s rural towns and burgeoning cities, rivers and coastlines are increasingly becoming
heavily polluted with discarded plastic packaging and other plastic waste. Africa, unlike Asia, is not yet a regional plastic pollution hotspot, but that could change if “business as usual” continues. Plastic is not inherently bad; it is a artificial material that contributes
multiple benefits to society. However, the current linear economic model of “take-make-waste” is the root cause of plastic pollution.  The way plastic is produced, and the way products and packaging is designed, combined with how plastic items are managed after use, are highly unsustainable and damaging to both human health and nature.

This problem is far-reaching. Discarded plastic items found in nature fragment over time into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics. Microplastics are found in the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Plastic pollution is not confined to an isolated country or continent because plastic waste may be moved around via atmospheric currents, transboundary waterways and ocean currents.