SENEGAL – Senegal, like many other developing countries, is still struggling to control the waste generated by water sachets, despite implementing a ban in 2020.
Water sachets are small plastic bags filled with drinking water, which are widely consumed in Senegal due to their affordability and convenience.
The improper disposal of these sachets has become a major environmental issue in the country. The sachets are often discarded on the streets, in drains, or in open spaces, leading to clogged drainage systems, water pollution, and the proliferation of disease-carrying mosquitoes.
One of the main reasons for the struggle to control water sachet waste in Senegal is the lack of an effective waste management system.
Many areas do not have proper waste collection and disposal infrastructure, making it difficult to manage the large volume of sachets being discarded daily.
Additionally, there is a lack of awareness and education about the environmental impact of improper sachet disposal.
Many people do not realize the long-term consequences of their actions and continue to throw away sachets without considering the negative effects on the environment.
For instance, Moussa Ndoye, a 28-year-old beachgoer in Senegal’s capital Dakar, gulps down the water from two plastic sachets in quick succession and throws them in the sand, reports Africanews.
“This is our rubbish bin,” he says with a laugh, sitting with friends in the shade of a large wooden fishing boat.
West African nation discards more than 250,000 tonnes of plastic each year, while only about 30,000 tonnes are recycled, according to a report by the Ministry of Urban Planning.
“Before, we used to worry about rubbish, but now it’s the water bags that invade us most and form the backdrop at the edge of the beach,” deplores Pape Diop, head of an environmental protection association.
Water sachets take 400 years to decompose into microplastics, according to Adams Tidjanis, professor of environmental studies at a private university in Dakar.
To address this issue, the Senegalese government has implemented several measures. They have introduced a plastic bag ban in the capital city, Dakar, which includes water sachets.
However, the enforcement of this ban has been challenging, and many sachets still find their way into the environment.
Furthermore, the government has initiated campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of proper waste management and the negative impacts of water sachet waste.
These campaigns aim to educate the public about the need to dispose of sachets responsibly and encourage the use of alternative, more sustainable water packaging options.
These efforts are not enough, the country requires a multi-faceted approach involving government intervention, improved waste management infrastructure, public awareness campaigns, and the promotion of sustainable alternatives to effectively control and reduce sachet waste in the country.
