Rising animal welfare concerns highlight Ethiopia’s plastic packaging crisis

ETHIOPIA – A new research initiative is set to examine the growing problem of plastic ingestion among Ethiopia’s donkey population and develop solutions that safeguard animal welfare while addressing the country’s mounting packaging waste challenge.

Home to an estimated 10.6 million donkeys, Ethiopia has the largest donkey population in the world.

Many of these animals, crucial for transport and livelihoods, forage for food among waste dumps where discarded plastics are widespread.

According to the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), nearly 79% of the country’s plastic waste is neither recycled nor incinerated, but instead accumulates in open dumps, landfills, waterways, and along roadsides.

“Thin polyethylene shopping bags are the plastics most frequently ingested by donkeys, often because they retain food odours or contain remnants,” explained Dr. Getachew Mulugeta, senior lead at The Donkey Sanctuary, and Tilahun Haile, its education programme manager in Ethiopia.

“Food wrappers and other discarded packaging are also commonly ingested.”

The risks are severe. Veterinary records show cases of colic linked to plastic ingestion are particularly common among urban donkeys in Addis Ababa and Bishoftu.

Plastics can remain in the gastrointestinal tract for long periods, causing fatal impaction or obstruction. Many donkeys die before ever reaching a clinic.

In response, the Ethiopian government has introduced a ban on single-use plastic bags, effective June 2025, with fines of up to 5,000 birr (US$35) for violations.

The measure builds on a national plastic waste management strategy launched in 2024. Experts argue, however, that additional interventions are urgently needed.

Recommended measures include prohibiting single-use plastics entirely, fencing off open dumpsites to prevent animals from accessing them, and implementing the 4Rs framework (Reduce, Reuse, Recover, Recycle).

Stronger Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) enforcement would also hold manufacturers accountable for post-consumer waste.

The upcoming study, led by The Donkey Sanctuary Ethiopia in partnership with Addis Ababa University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, will begin next year.

It will collect data on pollution levels, map high-risk areas, and propose practical interventions.

“Community-based education for donkey owners is critical,” said Dr. Mulugeta. “Awareness of the health risks posed by plastics, combined with safer grazing areas and improved feed resources, can greatly reduce suffering.”

The initiative underscores the interconnectedness of packaging waste, environmental protection, and animal welfare.

As Ethiopia grapples with its plastics crisis, safeguarding working animals will be vital to sustaining both livelihoods and ecosystems.

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