Ethiopia’s capital producing over 80,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually

Between 2007 and 2022, plastic consumption increased from 43,000 tonnes to 224,000 tonnes annually, indicating a dramatic surge in the use of plastics. Per capita plastic consumption has also grown at a rate of 13% every year.

The Addis Ababa City Administration Environmental Protection Authority (AAEPA) because of this has initiated strategies to address the situation.

During a stakeholder dialogue with companies and groups involved in the production of plastic, the General Manager of AAEPA, Dida Driba highlighted the importance of curbing the impact of plastic production on the environment.

He indicated the enforcement of a minimum thickness requirement of 0.03 micrometres for plastic products as part of solutions to the menace, to prevent easy degradation. The taxing of plastic products and exploration of non-plastic options were also emphasised.

The introduction of sustainable practices and awareness creation were suggested as viable solutions for addressing the challenge.

Participants in the dialogue included plastic factories engaged in plastic reproduction, supermarkets utilising plastic packaging, bread producers, distributors, as well as garden and paper container establishments, Capital Ethiopia reports.