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Framing the plastic pollution problem within the water quality-health nexus: Current understandings and policy recommendations
Summary
This review frames plastic pollution as a water quality and public health problem in South Africa, where millions of tons of mismanaged plastic waste enter the environment each year. The authors argue that addressing plastic pollution requires integrated water management policies.
Plastic pollution in the environment has become a serious global concern, as it negatively impacts ecosystem and related services. South Africa is no exception. It is very difficult to imagine a world without plastics. Since plastics were first made, production has increased from 1.5 million tons in the 1950s to approximately 322 million tons today. 1 On the African continent, South Africa tops the list with a production of 8987 kilotons of plastic, followed by Egypt (3977 kilotons) and Nigeria (2308 kilotons). 2 Plastic consumption, unlike production, reveals a clear link to GDP with countries such as South Africa, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco (13-19 kg/year) having on average twice the per capita consumption of plastic than countries such as Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana (4.4-8 kg/year). 2 Huge amounts of plastic are also imported into Africa, contributing further to local plastic consumption. In order to maximise the beneficial properties, additives such as plasticisers, flame retardants, thermal stabilisers, light and heat stabilisers, are added to some plastics. 3,
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