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Plastic waste management in the Horn of Africa: A comparative evaluation of policies, practices, challenges and future directions
Original title: Decision: Plastic waste management in the Horn of Africa: A comparative evaluation of policies, practices, challenges and future directions — R0/PR5
Summary
Researchers compared how four Horn of Africa countries (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, and Djibouti) handle plastic waste, finding that weak enforcement, poor infrastructure, and disorganized policies allow plastic pollution to pile up across the region, especially in rural areas. This matters because poorly managed plastic waste often ends up burned or dumped in ways that can contaminate soil, water, and food supplies with microplastics and toxic chemicals — the study suggests that better-coordinated regional policies and stricter producer accountability could reduce this exposure risk for millions of people.
Plastic pollution is a growing challenge in the Horn of Africa, driven by rapid urbanization and inadequate waste management infrastructure. This study compares plastic waste management policies, practices and challenges across four countries: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti. Despite shared socioeconomic and geographic characteristics, these countries exhibit significant differences in governance structures and institutional capacity, which shape policy effectiveness and implementation outcomes. The findings show that Ethiopia has the most developed policy framework, incorporating integrated approaches such as life cycle management and extended producer responsibility through coordinated governance mechanisms. Somalia has introduced regulatory measures in recent years; however, progress remains constrained by fragmented authority and weak enforcement. Eritrea applies a centralized, state-controlled regulatory model emphasizing strict compliance, though limited transparency and economic incentives restrict broader effectiveness. In contrast, Djibouti addresses plastic waste primarily within its municipal management framework, relying heavily on international partnerships and outsourced services. Across the region, common challenges include weak enforcement capacity, fragmented institutional mandates, inadequate infrastructure and limited stakeholder engagement, with urban areas generally demonstrating stronger implementation than rural regions. Despite these constraints, significant opportunities exist to strengthen regional plastic governance through harmonized policy approaches, expanded producer responsibility systems and a transition toward circular economy strategies. Overall, the study highlights the critical role of governance structures and institutional capacity in shaping environmental policy outcomes and emphasizes the need for coordinated, regionally aligned approaches to improve plastic waste management in the Horn of Africa.