The Togolese environmental authorities and additional partners in Lomé aim to jointly develop a national action plan for dealing with plastic products and waste.

The initiative focuses, among other things, on combating the severe health and environmental impacts of plastic consumption in Togo.

Authorities estimate that, among other waste, more than two million plastic bags are discarded nationwide every day, while recycling remains minimal. This enormous volume of waste worsens soil and water pollution and increases the population’s exposure to environmental risks.

Meba Toyi, environmental lawyer and head of the Climate Protection Department in the Ministry of Environment, stated that the main challenge is to adapt the legal framework to the scale of pollution. An ongoing assessment of waste volumes aims to determine how much plastic is produced and disposed of in landfills in order to better inform public administration.

Togo has been attempting since 2011 to gradually strengthen its plastic waste management through several national and regional programmes. Colonel Dimizou Kofi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing reforms toward a circular economy and a safer environment.

However, what remains completely unaddressed is how the population can be meaningfully made aware of this issue. This also includes promoting reduced plastic use and creating sufficient opportunities to properly dispose of used plastic. Simply enacting legal regulations does not solve the problem.