Rubbish and solid waste are an increasing problem

Pollution remains a serious concern

West African marine biodiversity suffers from high levels of plastic waste from domestic use, lost nets and fisheries lines.

SOURCE UNEP 2016. Marine plastic debris and microplastics – Global lessons and research to inspire action and guide policy change. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi.

SOURCE Jambeck, J. R., R. Geyer, C. Wilcox, T. R. Siegler, M. Perryman, A. Andrady, R. Narayan and Law, K. L. 2015. Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science 347(6223): 768771

Plastic bottles and other wastes cover a beach after being washed ashore near the port of Abidjan, Cote de Ivoire. (PHOTO: ©Issouf Sanogo/AFP)

Rubbish and solid waste are an increasing problem

Marine litter is one of the most obvious examples of marine pollution. In many coastal African countries, there is lack of appropriate waste management, with solid waste commonly ending up in rivers and the ocean. Increasing population growth in West Africa (estimated at 2.3% a year) poses a considerable challenge to reducing plastic pollution, as waste will continue to grow with increased population growth and per capita consumption associated with economic growth. While no accurate estimate of the total quantity of plastic in the ocean has been made so far and the impacts on the wider oceanic food web are not yet well understood, concerns are growing about the possible role of plastics as an important source of bird mortality.

Plastics are very slow to degrade. Larger plastics generate microplastic particles (measuring one to five millimeter) that can travel long distances in oceanic surface currents. Many are denser than seawater so will sink once any initial buoyancy is removed. Drifting plastic debris has several adverse effects on seabirds and other species, and is killing marine life all over the globe. The plastic waste is eaten, leading to suffocation or intestinal blockage; birds become entangled in lines and other large plastic waste, and even carry the plastic to their nests where it may cause further damage.

“Ghost fishing” by Abandoned, Lost or otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) can be particularly detrimental for marine life. Plastics in the marine environment contribute to the transport of non-indigenous marine species, thereby threatening marine biodiversity and the food web. More importantly, they pose a threat to human health that can include injury and death, as well as significant economic losses in several sectors, such as blocking the drainage system thus exacerbating the impacts of flooding, and reducing the beauty and value of tourist sites.

Improving waste collection and management presents the most urgent solution to reducing plastic pollution in this region. Global priorities should include development and design of plastics and replacement materials to improve recoverability and reduce plastic pollution, as well as innovation in plastic products to limit their harmful effects on the environment.