The problem: plastic waste pollution

With the increasing production of disposable plastic products, the Earth is faced with a major problem: plastic waste pollution. Plastic items and particles accumulate in the environment posing a serious risk to ecosystems, animals, and humans. Even though plastic was discovered to be revolutionary and convenient, indeed it has been used to produce a large number of different items, it has also led people to have a consumerist mentality. Around 50% of all plastic manufactured each year is intended for single-use only: it has an extremely short lifespan — as it is often used for a few minutes only —but its impact on the environment can last for years. It persists in the atmosphere for long periods of time, posing a threat to biodiversity and disseminating pollutants and it also is a greenhouse gas. Oceans are extremely affected by this issue: according to this article, every year, more than 300 million tons of plastic are produced and at least 8 million of them end up in our oceans, accounting for 80% of all marine waste. The plastic material is ingested by marine animals resulting in serious injuries and even deaths. Unfortunately, plastic waste pollution does not spare developing countries. As explained in this article, the use of plastic continues to expand rapidly in developing countries, including Africa. Plastics are flooding these countries, pouring into their rivers, and getting incorporated into animal feed due to a lack of facilities and funds to manage the waste. Moreover, while in developed countries the Governments bear the increasing costs of handling plastic waste, in the developing ones it is the individuals that have to cover those costs as they do not have government-funded waste disposal or recycling schemes. As an example, in Kenya, this burden is shifted from wealthy businesses onto local people who survive with less than $1.90 per day.

The solution: turning plastic waste into building products

Although plastic waste pollution affects numerous developing countries, some of them are bringing creativity into play to tackle the issue. As stated by the UN, Kenya is a pioneer in the battle against plastic pollution, being among the first countries in East Africa to impose restrictions on single-use plastics and to sign the Clean Seas initiative which partners with Governments, companies, and people to eliminate the unnecessary use of disposable plastics. Nzambi Matee is a spokeswoman for this fight. She is a 29-year-old Kenyan self-taught hardware designer and qualified engineer with a biochemistry degree who developed the latest methods for transforming plastic waste into building materials that are convenient and more durable than concrete. After months spent making numerous tests and creating prototypes, she won a scholarship to take part in a social entrepreneurship training programme at the University of Colorado, where she had the opportunity to greatly improve the project. In 2015, Nzambi founded the Gjenge Makers startup which produces 500 to 1000 bricks per day using about 500 kilograms of plastic waste. They collect plastic waste from factories or purchase it from other recyclers, a machine binds the product with sand at high temperatures and then a press compresses the mixture, thus giving life to their unique products. The startup has 112 employers from disadvantaged groups including women and young people who would otherwise be unemployed, which makes Nzambi’s project not only a role model for the fight against pollution but also an example of much-needed social inclusion as it creates opportunities in the most struggling communities. Nzambi’s noble commitment has also been recognised by international institutions as she won the United Nation’s Environment Programme Young Champions of the Earth.

The pollution coming from plastic waste is an issue that must become a priority for all the countries across the world.

The goal must be to reduce the use of single-use plastic by raising awareness of the issue and funding innovative and creative projects that can turn an environmental problem into a powerful resource.

The safeguard of our environment is fundamental for the survival and wellbeing of both biodiversity and mankind.