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Plastic pollution in Ethiopia: A comprehensive review and evidence synthesis of generation, management practices, and environmental impacts
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Ethiopia produces over 386,000 tons of plastic waste each year, and this review of existing research finds that more than 70% of it isn't properly managed, instead piling up in rivers, lakes, and farmland that people rely on for food and water. With recycling rates below 10%, this pollution threatens drinking water sources, food safety, and ecosystems, raising concerns about plastic and microplastic exposure for millions of people. The findings highlight the urgent need for better waste infrastructure and stronger policies to protect public health.
Plastic pollution is an escalating environmental challenge in Ethiopia, driven by rapid urbanization, population growth, and inadequate waste management systems. This systematic review examines the scale, sources, impacts, and governance of plastic pollution across the country. Unlike previous studies that focused on localized plastic pollution issues or broader municipal solid waste management, this review provides the first systematic national synthesis of empirical evidence on plastic pollution across Ethiopia, integrating environmental, ecological, public health, governance, and waste management perspectives to identify research trends, evidence gaps, and national priorities for future interventions. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies, government reports, and field observations from 2000–2025, this review provides a national assessment of plastic waste generation and its environmental impacts in Ethiopia. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, it systematically synthesized empirical studies and national policy documents, with study quality and risk of bias critically assessed to ensure robust evidence synthesis. Findings indicate that Ethiopia generates over 386,000 tons of plastic waste annually, with plastic comprising more than 11.78% of the total municipal solid waste. Alarmingly, over 70% of this plastic is mismanaged, polluting rivers, lakes, farmlands, and urban drainage systems. Critical ecosystems such as Lake Tana, Lake Hawassa, and the Akaki-Awash Basin are increasingly threatened, posing serious risks to biodiversity, food security, and public health. The national recycling rate remains below 10%, highlighting significant deficiencies in waste recovery and circular economy practices. The review identifies major pollution hotspots and key source sectors and critically analyzes gaps in policy enforcement and municipal capacity. It underscores the urgent need for integrated and multi-sectoral responses to plastic pollution. Key recommendations include developing a national plastic action plan, strengthening legal and institutional frameworks, expanding recycling and waste infrastructure, promoting eco-friendly alternatives, and raising public awareness. This review provides a national scientific baseline for supporting evidence-based plastic governance, strengthening circular economy strategies, guiding future environmental monitoring, and informing national implementation of the Global Plastics Treaty and Sustainable Development Goals.
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Plastic waste management strategies toward zero waste: Status, perspectives and recommendations for Ethiopia
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This review assesses Ethiopia's plastic waste crisis, finding that excessive plastic use has worsened environmental pollution, contributing to climate change, biodiversity loss, and public health impacts. The study recommends strategies including banning single-use plastics, improving recycling infrastructure, and developing biodegradable alternatives. While focused on Ethiopia, the findings illustrate how developing countries face growing microplastic pollution from inadequate waste management systems.
Review: Plastic waste management strategies toward zero waste: Status, perspectives and recommendations for Ethiopia — R2/PR13
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This review analyzes plastic waste management challenges in Ethiopia, finding the country faces a quadruple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and public health impacts, and recommends national strategies, a circular economy approach, and bans on single-use plastics.
A bibliometric analysis and systematic review of microplastic pollution in Ethiopia
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This review summarizes existing research on microplastic pollution in Ethiopia, finding most studies focused on freshwater systems, mainly sediment and surface water. Microplastic particles, often fragments and fibres, were found in 35 to 61.7% of fish samples, and the review notes inconsistent measurement methods and the absence of regulations addressing microplastic pollution in the country.
Microplastics occurrence, abundance, and typology across various locations of the Akaki River during the wet season
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Scientists testing Ethiopia's Akaki River found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in every single water sample, with some sites showing incredibly high pollution levels—far worse than rivers studied elsewhere. Since this river is used for farming and everyday life in the Addis Ababa area, these findings raise concerns about plastic particles entering the food and water supply, and highlight the urgent need for better waste management and wastewater treatment in the region.
Assessment of microplastics in water and sediment from Megech river, major tributary to Lake Tana
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in the Megech River in Ethiopia, finding an average of 0.55 microplastic particles per liter in surface water and 19.39 particles per kilogram in sediment, with higher concentrations near urban areas. This baseline study highlights how growing plastic use in developing nations is reaching even freshwater systems in East Africa.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.