Angola establishes plastic waste reduction taskforce to fight coastline pollution

ANGOLA – The President of Angola João Lourenço has formed a working group to draft a national plan to ban plastics to address environmental degradation and regulate the production and use of non-biodegradable products.

In a presidential decree, quoted by state-owned Jornal de Angola, Mr. Lourenço states that there are “worrying levels of pollution resulting from the use of plastics in general.”

The taskforce will be responsible for policy formulation to address Angola’s “environmental degradation” and regulate the production and use of non-biodegradable products.

The Minister of State and Chief of Staff of the President of the Republic will coordinate the multidisciplinary working group.

It will include those responsible for the environment, economy and planning, territorial administration, education and telecommunications, information technologies and social communication.

Additionally, representatives of business associations, academia, support bodies for the vice-presidency of the Republic and a member of the Council of the Republic will join the group.

The CM Jornal reports that the working group will survey production units, import circuits and levels of plastic consumption.

Moreover, the coordinator is tasked with approving a schedule within 30 days and reporting quarterly updates to the chief executive.

The order follows a report by the head of the National Solid Waste Agency that said that a total of 12.4 million plastic bags are distributed free of charge every day in Angola in commercial exchanges.

Mr. Monteiro Lumbo, who disclosed the figure after a survey, added that the bags were dire consequences on public health and the environment., reports The EastAfrican.

In addition, these plastics choke drainage systems causing floods during the rainy season, Mr. Lumbi added.

Plastic pollution is not only a problem in Angola but a global concern, with the UN warning that it has grown into an epidemic.

According to the UN Environment Programme, plastic pollution soared from 2 million tonnes in 1950 to 348 million tonnes in 2017, becoming a global industry valued at US$522.6 billion. It is expected to double in capacity by 2040.

As a measure to curb the increasing pollution, heads of State, environment ministers and other representatives from 175 nations endorsed a historic resolution at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi to end plastic pollution, and forge an international legally binding agreement, by the end of 2024.

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