Brazzaville – Every year more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally and an estimated 19–23 million tons end up in lakes, rivers and seas. However, less than 10% of the world’s annual plastic production is recycled. In Africa, which produces only 5% and consumes 4% of global plastic, growing population and urbanization are driving an increase in single-use plastic, heightening environmental pollution and health threats.
World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have collaborated to galvanize national efforts to reduce environmental threats to health since the adoption of the Libreville Declaration on health and Environment in 2008. Ever since, they jointly conducted several projects among which the Clim-HEALTH Africa project, which aims to help predict, prevent and manage acute public health effects of climate change in Africa; and the CHEMOBS project which developed a prototype for an integrated national health and environment observatory on chemical risks to human health and the environment.
https://www.afro.who.int/news/tackling-health-impacts-plastic-pollution-africa