but along with the fun and celebrations of the holiday, comes a lot of waste. thus, halloween is a great time to assess your waste production. 

there are many ways to reduce your consumption levels surrounding the spooky holiday, including trading old costumes with friends, making your halloween decorations out of repurposed materials, and diying your halloween costumes. check out this fun and informative video published on planet forward last year about the importance of sustainable halloween costumes. 

however, one area that we still find to be a bit of a sustainability challenge is halloween candy wrappers. 

the issue of candy wrappers

candy and snacks pose a big problem due to the single-use plastic that comes with the treats. on average, americans buy more than 600 million pounds (based on recent sales numbers) of candy per halloween season. this candy produces a massive amount of discarded plastic packaging and individual candy wrappers. 

multiple organizations have created candy wrapper recycling programs to help mitigate this problem.

loggerhead marinelife center ran a nationwide unwrap the waves program to collect candy wrappers and recycle them, to prevent them from entering our oceans. for the three years this program ran, unwrap the waves recycled more than 450,000 candy wrappers.

similarly, rubicon created its trash to treasure program in 2019 to distribute recycling boxes during the halloween season to businesses, schools, and community organizations, in which people were encouraged to bring their candy wrappers. once filled, the candy wrapper-filled boxes were sent back to rubicon to be cleaned, sorted, and turned into renewed plastic to be used once more. 

in its five years of operation, trash to treasure saw great success, expanding to schools and organizations in every state of the country and valentine’s day season, in addition to halloween.

despite this apparent success of the program, rubicon announced that it would be pausing trash to treasure for the 2024 halloween season.

with rubicon’s program also suspended, there isn’t an equivalent free candy wrapper recycling program.

terracycle sells candy and snack wrapper recycling boxes. however, with a small recycling box at $105, this price range is unfeasible for most individuals.

so what’s the solution to the candy wrapper conundrum?

short answer: it’s not so easy

while consumers can do their best to opt for buying halloween candy with the least amount of plastic packaging, halloween candy exists on the short list of foods that need some sort of individual packaging. 

trick-or-treating etiquette necessitates that candy given out is pre-wrapped with seals and closings intact. this is so parents can ensure that the candy their children are given is safe to eat. thus, we cannot get rid of candy wrappers entirely. 

candy corporations should do their part

we should encourage candy corporations, such as hershey, nestle, and mars, to produce our favorite candies with compostable or recyclable packaging.

additionally, candy corporations themselves should run large-scale candy wrapper recycling programs. taking from the structure of trash to treasure, these corporations should give schools, businesses, and organizations recycling boxes, free of charge, to collect candy wrappers and reuse for the production of future candy. 

mars has done this on a microscopic scale. in 2022, the candy corporation that makes snickers and m&ms, partnered with rubicon to distribute 17,400 candy waste collection bags to u.s. consumers. people were able to fill the bags with candy wrappers and mail them back to a special recycler, g2 revolution, in illinois. 

if all 17,400 bags were mailed back full, mars would have recycled 2 tons of recycled wrappers, which is only a fraction of the total amount of candy wrappers discarded every halloween season. 

better recycling infrastructure

even if more candy corporations ran candy wrapper recycling programs, there still exists the issue of a lack of proper infrastructure to recycle candy wrappers.

candy wrappers and plastic wrappers, in general, pose a difficult challenge for recycling because they are often made of mixed materials, such as plastic and foil. these different materials must be separated during recycling, which adds time and energy to the recycling process. 

additionally, candy wrappers tend to be thin and flimsy, which allows them to easily bypass recycling sorting machines.

candy wrappers must be thoroughly cleaned of the food waste prior to being recycled and the mix of colors on candy wrappers often produces an unappealing brown color when recycled into new materials.

these difficulties cause recycling candy wrappers to be costly and they produce such low-grade plastic that the value of the new plastic doesn’t meet the value of the recycling process. which, in turn, means candy corporations are not inclined to commit to this process. 

better, more efficient recycling infrastructure must be invented to reduce the cost of candy wrapper recycling and make it more profitable for the organizations that engage with this process.

looking to the future

hershey has stated that it is committed to having 100% of their plastic packaging be recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2030.

additionally, mars has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to redesign 12,000 packaging components to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable.

this is a large feat to surmount, and we will all be watching to see if the first and fourth-largest candy corporations by sales, respectively, can do what it takes to minimize candy wrapper waste and advocate for more sustainable practices, especially with seasonal candy. 

with that, have a safe and festive halloween!

“leading the charge,” the theme of an april 10 kellogg climate conference at northwestern university, brought together an all-stars cast including leaders from coca-cola, gm energy, start-ups, academics and conservation groups to redefine business strategy in a changing climate.

the mission? counter climate change and find new profit pipelines there as well.

a standing-room-only crowd of business executives, experts, and students explored company examples of innovative and cost-effective climate change mitigation at the all-day conference sponsored by the kellogg school of management’s energy and sustainability club and the trienens institute for sustainability and energy at northwestern.  

meghan busse, associate professor of strategy at the kellogg school of management kicked off the conference with what she called, “a greenhouse emissions breakdown,” in other words, a lively lowdown on the challenges ahead.

according to busse, in the u.s, one-fourth of gas emissions come from electricity generation, one-fourth from transportation, one-fourth from industrial processes, and one-fourth covering both agriculture and buildings. the conference program covered all these sectors and how each one is providing new solutions and innovative technology to decrease emissions.

“our goal of the day is to leave you all feeling armed to become climate capable leaders where you are willing to ask questions and start thinking about no matter what your job is, how does climate plan into my strategy?” said busse.

the incentive to act for companies is linked to the impact on their pockets. climate change is expected to cost u.s. businesses over $1.3 trillion in the next three years. such high stakes have pushed industries around the world to seek massive technological and business transformations. but experts say that refusing to invest is climate solutions will cost even more in losses due to rising costs, resource uncertainties, extreme weather damage, and other factors.

speakers at kellogg conference emphasize solutions

keynote speakers included business leaders across the board to share the specifics their companies have implemented to prioritize sustainability as a core component of strategic decision-making. coca-cola is the number one plastic polluter in the world, according to coke’s executive vp bea perez who took center stage her talk on “navigating sustainability and profitability.” she focused on the importance of accountability, transparency and support from top corporate leaders for a company to move toward sustainability. she asked the audience to envision the size of 120,000 olympic size swimming pools, the pyramid of giza and every single volcano in the world to show the massive amounts of waste that the coca-cola company generates. she emphasized solutions.

businesses and consumers should examine a company’s business and sustainability reports to see if sustainability strategy is embedded into the finances of the company, she said. without that commitment, the measures are irrelevant, said perez, global chief communication, sustainability and strategic partnerships officer at coca-cola.

according to the coca-cola company’s 2022 business & sustainability report, the company aims to “make 100% of our packaging recyclable globally by 2025— and use at least 50% recycled material in our packaging by 2030.” perez explained how water, packaging, and climate goals are interconnected and that by creating a circular economy for packaging, they can lower their carbon footprint.

in their 2022 business & sustainability report, coke claimed that 90% of its packaging is recyclable, 15% of plastic bottles made with polyethylene terephthalate (pet) are recycled, and that 61% of packaging (is) collected for recycling. coke’s innovation of a 100% plant-based bottle prototype is a key component to helping them achieve their sustainability goals. “if you don’t have strong communities, you can’t have strong businesses,” said perez.

infrastructure challenges

at the scaling the energy transition panel, key challenges focused on infrastructure development. shashank sane, a kellogg alum, and evp at transmission invenergy, said that supply chain delays are making it challenging for businesses to amplify the grid system. projects may take up to a decade from supply chain to completion and a major challenge that business owners face is the lack of policy and government support for funding.

at a global scale this sets the u.s behind. for comparison, germany which backed up by government policy, is capable of placing massive national orders for supplies, while business owners in the u.s are limited by their procurement resources. consequently, the lack of infrastructure affects other sectors like the transportation sector.

companies such as nexteramobility which focuses on developing, constructing, and operating power projects to produce electricity are restricted in mass capacity by the infrastructure of grid placements. however, even with the use of a massive electric plant to compensate for fuel, yann kulp, director business development, fleet electrification advisory, argued that having one major source of emissions is better than having millions of sources of emissions, making the carbon capture in one place more manageable.

insight into regenerative farming

the panel seeds of change: cultivating a sustainable future in food and agriculture introduced ancient processes and cutting-edge initiatives as change-makers. sonali lamba, co-founder and executive director of the soil inventory project, brought to light how regenerative farming practices could be a greater part of the solution for fighting climate change and restoring our soils through farming.

regenerative farming, as lamba explained, roots back to indigenous practices. this kind of farming focuses on supporting local farmers and even funding their businesses to incentivize healthier farming practices that avoid pesticides, other chemical and erosion-causing practices that harm both earth and our health.

“why not pay people to do things the right way,” said meera bhat, global director of equitable conservation for the nature conservancy.

this year’s kellogg climate conference brought together an audience of about 300 business leaders and mba students, each with different perspectives on how to decrease their carbon footprint in their business sector. regardless of their business strategy, attendees shared kellogg’s mission that day to educate, strategize and mobilize, for the sake of change.

doris alvarez is a graduate student at northwestern university’s medill school of journalism. 

ensuring an effective waste management strategy is not only very important for community development, but is also a vital component of supporting climate action. unfortunately, indiscriminate disposal of wastes is a challenge that exists across different classes and regions of nigeria. 

according to the nigerian federal government’s 2020 nigerian national waste management policy, “nigeria produces a large volume of solid wastes out of which less than 20% is collected through a formal system.”

even in nigerian academic institutions, this issue is prevalent. as a fresh masters student in obafemi awolowo university (oau) in 2015, i realized that despite my school’s green reputation and beautiful exterior, illegal waste disposal was still a problem on campus.  

so in 2016, while serving as the president of my university’s environmental control and management student association (ecomsa), i teamed up with lagos-based african clean up initiative (formerly known as passion house) and sustyvibes to launch the oau campus cleanup. 

with the help of nigeria’s national environmental standard and regulation agency (nesrea) and several other clubs on campus, we collected approximately 100 bags of solid wastes which were channeled into appropriate receptacles. after this event, the participating organizations and individuals started organizing weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleanup exercises within the school.

one of the attendees at the oau campus cleanup event was mayokun iyaomolere, who would later go on to form his own organization, the plogging nigeria club. 

plogging is a concept created by erik ahlstrom, an activist from sweden who combined his love for hiking and running, with the practice of picking up litter. iyaomolere’s organization is functional across 18 university campuses in nigeria with 1,600 members who have collectively picked more than 30 tons of waste since the program’s founding in 2018. 

i caught up with iyaomolere to discuss the progress of his club and his experience with sustainable waste management on nigerian school campuses. this conversation appears below, edited for length and clarity.

wa: what does ‘sustainable waste management’ mean to you?

mi: i would describe sustainable waste management as a holistic set of policies, infrastructure and behaviors that contribute to reduced use of items, proper disposal of wastes, finding afterlife for some wastes and carefully ensuring all final wastes do not end up polluting the environment.

wa: did you participate in the oau campus cleanup 2016?

mi: yes, i participated in the cleanup.

it was one of my first major volunteering experiences. i enjoyed the company of colleagues from academia and (others who) i looked up to in the environment industry in nigeria.

wa: what did you gain from the experience? 

mi: i think it was a landmark campus cleanup event that set the pace for hundreds, if not thousands of events that had happened after it.

i met new people and consolidated on existing relationships. something about doing impactful work together makes me connect better with people.

i also participated in publicity for the event… this would become a skill for me as i grew into the environment space in nigeria.

wa: what inspired you to starting plogging nigeria club?

mi: beating plastic pollution with young people. that really was the initial drive as conversations around plastic pollution became more topical.

after we started plogging nigeria on the oau campus in june 2018, we hosted another massive cleanup at the university in august 2018. the network i built and competencies i developed during the 2016 cleanup really came in handy and helped set plogging nigeria on an ascending trajectory.

wa: what other programs or projects does plogging nigeria hold to engage the youth and educate the public on waste management?

mi: today, plogging nigeria continues evolving. we’ve done quite a lot, and will be doing even more. what we started as just jogging and picking up litter has metamorphosed into one of the most consistent and present environmental organizations in nigeria and indeed, africa. 

we have established about 30 subsidiary campus and community clubs since june 2018 when we started in oau. we have over 1,600 volunteers presently. with these clubs, we’ve had over 600 plogging episodes. 

we run an experiential environmental education school called the green switch academy. at the academy, we train people on the basics of environmental sustainability, solid waste management, climate change and the sustainable development goals amongst other things. we have organized 26 cohorts of the academy, with the latest being in february 2024. we have trained exactly 1,659 persons from over 20 countries at the academy.

another major project for us is ploggathon, a fusion of the words, “plogging” and “marathon.” we led more than 200 people to run a 10km distance in the capital city of nigeria, competitively cleaning wastes along the way. 

we also run these virtual end of year campaigns where we try to educate people on living sustainably during the yuletide period. we’ve done that five years in a row now and have partnered with over 80 organizations for this campaign alone. we have reached millions of virtual audiences through it.

these are some of the things we have done and will build on. generally, we try to employ plogging, cleanups, arts, circularity, research, and development as advocacy tools for environmental and climate education.

wa: what’s the future of waste management in nigeria and the role of young people?

mi: the future of waste management in nigeria! there’s still a lot of work to be done really. we need to put in proper policies and infrastructure that will cause and enforce a change in our waste management behavior in nigeria.

at plogging nigeria, we’ve learned from our work that there’s a dire need for policies, backed up with infrastructure, and stringent enforcement systems. advocacy is not enough. when one learns not to throw wastes indiscriminately away, they need to have a bin close by to dump the wastes. 

recycling is gaining ground around the country, but is only one part of it. we need better waste disposal and collection systems, landfill management, and should begin to really explore the potentials of generating energy from wastes. there’s a whole lot really, and there’s a wide open sky of opportunities in the future of waste management in nigeria. young people have started taking leadership of the waste management space in the country and i believe it will continue to remain so as we aim to rid nigeria of every form of dirt.

looking ahead

as the movement toward sustainable waste management continues to grow across nigerian campuses, it is imperative for school management to support environmental clubs situated within their schools and extend collaborations to governmental agencies to further solidify effectiveness in the waste management sector of the communities and of the country at large. 

activists across the campuses are beginning to voluntarily train and educate young people in elementary and secondary schools, this already helps the new generation to be aware of the need for waste management as part of the measures for community development. thus, this movement of young people shall play a huge role toward sustainable management of wastes.

envision this – rain patters on a street surface, accumulating until it pours across the concrete sweeping along with the howling winds. below the surface, a myriad of copper, clay, and wooden pipes grapple with the flash flood – one that would eventually make it to the surface.

on september 1, 2021, a scene quite like this played out as the remnants of hurricane ida surged over the city of newark. as the intensity of rain increased, the swollen passaic river burst, hauling its contents across the grounds of the newark liberty international airport, school buildings, and dozens of streets.

the aftermath of the storm left the city of newark crippled, with billions of dollars in damages, 25-30 people dead across the state, and 430 stranded residents in need of rescue from their cars or from some kind of transportation.

two years after this devastation, has the city fortified itself against potential storms? according to nicole miller, a member of newark environmental commission, co-chair of newark dig (doing infrastructure green), and co-chair of the jersey water works steering committee, “not yet.”

newark is among the oldest cities in the united states. the passaic river flows through the city and goes into newark bay. the city’s proximity to waterways has made its waterfront an important transportation hub of the port of new york and new jersey.

while the city’s location offers opportunities for trade, it also makes newark more susceptible to flooding. “somewhat like 40% of the city is in a floodplain or a fema flood zone. and a good portion of the city is below sea level. new jersey has already experienced 1.5 feet of sea level rise since 1900, with up to 2 feet more expected by 2050,” miller said.

for the city, addressing the flooding issue is not only a matter of necessity but also a matter of time.

in newark’s ironbound neighborhood, floods are a regular occurrence. according to viravid na nagara, one of the leading researchers at the center for natural resources at the new jersey institute of technology, “the majority of newark uses a combined sewer system.” in this system, wastewater and stormwater from streets, roofs, and other surfaces flow through the same pipes and get treated in the newark bay treatment plant operated by passaic valley sewerage commission (pvsc).

the issue with this system, as nagara stated, was that when the volume of stormwater exceeds the capacity of the system in situations like a heavy rainstorm, the system can get overwhelmed and trigger something called, “combined sewer overflow.”

this occurs when, during heavy rainfall, a combined sewer system releases some of the untreated sewage and stormwater to nearby water bodies, such as rivers and streams through outfalls located throughout the system. this, however, is not always an efficient drainage system. in the event of a river overflow, the newly contaminated river water would pose a threat to public health. this risk is also present during blockages in the system which result in the back up of toxic human sewage and industrial into streets and homes.

putting aside the economic implications, flooding has both social and environmental repercussions. meghana parameswarappa jayalakshmamma, a final-year ph.d. candidate in environmental engineering at njit stated, “microplastics have been found in stormwater runoff. any storm events can cause these pollutants to be washed off from one region to the other region. based on rainfall intensity and duration, microplastics can be taken from highway, commercial, and residential areas.” jayalakshmamma also talked about the research conducted in 1972 that found that fish and other aquatic organisms were consuming microplastics – something that has remained unchanged with the current drainage systems.

the polluted water not only affects aquatic animals but humans alike. individuals who come in contact with the toxic water become sick and some lose their jobs due to their inability to work. in newark, the destruction of homes also displaced some residents. miller stated that many of newark’s residents are still suffering from the lingering effects of the floods.

through the difficulties, newark has proved itself to be a resilient city. albeit slowly, the city is working to implement different flood mitigation measures that incorporate green infrastructure. nagara is one of the individuals working on flood mitigation strategies in newark.

“it is important before implementing anything to have communication with the community and understand what they are expecting or need,” nagara said.

in tandem with the newark community, nagara is creating a map that people can use to get “perspective to which area needs green infrastructure to be built to mitigate flooding.” this map records the extent of flooding, depth of water, and speed of water.

with this map, nagara makes determination about the locations in which stormwater planters can be built.

these planters capture rainwater by featuring small gardens inside concrete, stone, or brick features. these would bring back biofiltration, improving water quality by retaining microplastics and other pollutants & allowing absorption of water by the land – a perfect example of “borrowing the approach from nature,” nagara stated.

newarkdig, a coalition of groups focused on stormwater management throughout newark, is also working on projects such as rain gardens. miller explains that the rain gardens will slow down the water that usually goes into the pipes unimpeded causing the intense flow of water in the system. in the process, some water could also be used on the plants. newarkdig is working alongside newark workforce development board to open up jobs for people in designing, implementing, and maintaining green infrastructure.

outside of organizations in the community, individuals of the community are just as vital in advancing newark in its fight against floods. the gi reformer team of newarkdig, according to miller, raises public awareness through presentations about combined sewer overflows, flooding, and involvement opportunities.

“the data is all pointing to the future” miller states, referring to data predicting the increasing sea levels and precipitation in the coming years.

“it’s not just about the numbers. it’s not just about the money. it’s really about what’s the cost of inaction?”

only 4% of plastics produced in sub-saharan africa are recycled.

but namé recycling in cameroon has a mission to promote a circular economy by giving a second life to plastic waste and reducing plastic pollution. at the same time, they hope to bring economic opportunities to the communities that they serve.

namé collects various kinds of plastics through a network of informal collectors and businesses in cameroon. they then turn much of that waste into large, fully recycled pallets that replace the need for wooden ones.

washington – “i’ll show you what i dug out of one [camel] skeleton,” marine scientist marcus eriksen said as he unearthed a roughly 40-pound mass that he estimated held 2,000 plastic bags. 

eriksen’s display came as he and other experts testified on potential solutions to single-use plastics pollution, including new materials and improved recycling, during a subcommittee hearing for the senate environment and public works on october 26.

eriksen, co-founder of the 5 gyres institute, said he has also pulled plastic bags out of hundreds of bird skeletons and has had colleagues find them in whale guts too. he emphasized the global abundance of plastic waste that has risen exponentially in the last 15 years and resulted in serious health impacts for numerous species.

“these small, even nanoscale, particles are found in your bloodstream,” eriksen said in an interview with the medill news service before the hearing. “they get into the placenta of mothers. it gets into the organs of humans. it even crossed the brain barrier in studies of rats and mice.”

at the hearing, there was an intermittent back and forth between senators on whether plastic bags can be recycled, illustrating the larger confusion on the country’s present recycling system and its limited efficacy. 

sen. markwayne mullin (r-okla.) asked about the accumulation of plastic bags in the 40-pound mass, saying that it was his understanding that plastic bags can be recycled. sen. sheldon whitehouse (d-r.i.) said plastic bags cannot be recycled and that the recycling rate in general “stinks,” calling it “very, very much a failed system.” 

in response, mullin maintained that there are ways to recycle plastic bags, to which whitehouse said he had meant you can’t dispose of plastic bags in a mixed-use recycling bin. 

erin simon, vice president and head of plastic waste and business at the world wildlife fund, said plastic bags are technically recyclable but not often recycled. some recycling facilities do not accept plastic bags, wraps, and film in recycling bins because they clog machinery and cause safety hazards.

during the discussion, mullin cautioned against an impulsive reaction and called for “innovation, not misguided regulation.” he highlighted the work of witness humberto kravetz, the founder and ceo of gsf upcycling, a spain-based company that recycles plastic with less energy and environmental cost by using nanomaterials.

eriksen called for biodegradable plastics as a solution. he noted his organization’s 18-month field study that measured how 22 bioplastic items broke down in different land and marine environments with most samples degrading significantly within the timespan. 

“a lot of these biomaterials, they are functional replacements, especially as a thin film,” eriksen said in an interview before the hearing. 

eriksen also discussed the potential of regenerative materials such as seaweed and mushrooms in creating alternatives to plastics, which are made from fossil fuels.

simon noted the need for caution when considering the tradeoffs of switching to alternative materials, emphasizing that steps can be taken when sourcing alternatives to ensure there are more environmental and social benefits compared to conventional plastic.  

while various approaches were debated at the hearing, witnesses were unanimous on the need for urgent action to solve the single-use plastic pollution crisis.  

whitehouse argued that an economic component needs to be added to the technical conversation to provide incentive by reaching a point where recycled materials are cheaper than virgin plastic. 

“if that economic signal shifts, then suddenly recycling works,” whitehouse said, “because if there’s one rule of capitalism, it’s the profit’s imperative.”

according to simon, it’s the responsibility of governments and industries to make systems work for consumers while also addressing current trends. 

“all of the science tells us that, whether you’re talking about this from a pollution issue or from human health, first we need to produce less,” simon said in an interview before the hearing. “we can’t manage what we have, let alone what we’re projected to grow to.”

audio transcript:

laura malou: the growing mountains of garbage and trash represent not only an attitude of indifference to the valuable natural environment but also an economic and a public health problem.
hello and welcome to this radio production on waste management in the city of bamenda. i am your host, laura malou.
i urge you to please stay tuned as we journey through the path of waste and see how we can eradicate this practice.
safe management of waste involves three key principles, reduction of unnecessary waste, and separation of general waste from hazardous waste, and waste treatment that reduces risk on the community.
in bamenda, the problem of inefficient municipal solid waste management is endemic as people have been concentrating more on the ongoing crisis hitting government forces and separatist fighters while poor waste management is leading to a major health crisis.

…

a denizen of the town, cecilia follah, feels the town has been abandoned as every corner of the street, market, are covered with garbage causing a reduction on road sizes, hence unnecessary traffic and accidents.

cecilia follah: talking about waste management here in bamenda, it’s really a deplorable situation because we, as city dwellers, we feel abandoned. you walk in the street and every corner is full of garbage. there’s no control. the individuals decide where to dump their garbage, and no one says anything. even in the markets, on the roads, everywhere, people are walking on top of garbage. and this has led to a lot of traffic jams because the cars barely find where to pass due to this situation.

and speaking as a mother, this has really affected my children because my environment, everywhere is full of dust bins. and the pollution from it contaminates their health. most of the time, they have skin rashes, respiratory problems, and even infections. and this has led to a lot of damage. but i think that this situation can be remedied if personnel are trained on waste management or recycling of waste. this is already been done in the west region. and i think if it’s applied here in bamenda, it’s going to go a long way to help us, the local population, and the town at large.

laura malou: it is challenging that the management is becoming cumbersome as these (are) sites (which) have been a rapid accumulation of dirt along major roads and streets. in effect, it is sad to say human interaction with the environment is gradually causing a negative impact especially on the socio-economic development of the city due to the inadequate trash cans and the burning down of hysacam cars, a company in charge of waste in the town of bamenda by separatists.

waste is a global issue. if not properly managed, it poses a threat to public health and the environment. the unresolved garbage blocks and drains spread waterborne diseases. madame gwanyama noella, a medical practitioner, says the population of bamenda may face a bigger health crisis than the ongoing war if something is not done.

madame gwanyama noella: when the waste is dumped carelessly it blocks the drainage, leading to (areas of) stagnant water which are breeding places for mosquitos and thus a source of deadly water. this can lead to gastrointestinal tract diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery. and as a breeding ground for mosquitoes leading to an increased rate of malaria. also, some of this waste can release gasses such as methane and carbon dioxide, which are not good for the health of humans. so it can affect the respiratory system, causing signs and symptoms such cough, difficulties in breathing, and chest tightness.

laura malou: on this path, the bamenda deputy city council mayor mr. ndoh david chi, says waste management should not only be that of the council alone, it should be a collective effort.

ndoh david chi: we’ve tried to advise the population on how to help. the waste issue should not be that on the city council alone, it should be a collective effort. but you understand that government and the council have always put up measures in order to manage waste because waste is going to be a hazard.

laura malou: a concerned bamenda city dweller, hope lih shares, waste management in bamenda is complex. prior to the crisis, hysacam disposed waste in the town. as of now, there’s no waste disposal company in the city. he adds, “the effects are much. the government should impose fines on recalcitrant fellows to compel them to dump their heaps wherein necessary.”

hope lih: yeah, waste management in bamenda is a very complex question. i can’t at least say i know a specific company that manages waste in bamenda. prior to the crisis, we used to have hsyacam, but due to the hostilities to it, their cars, their automobiles, the company stopped or ceased their activities in bamenda.

this sort of thing, i think, lies on the government. you know, waste disposal is something cost intensive. an individual can’t manage it. so if the government can put in funds, or if the government can bring in an effective company that can manage the waste, i think the problem will be history. to get a company that has experience, and that has the capacity, has the necessary equipment that can dispose or treat the waste.

and it’s up to the government (and) the council to also put trash cans everywhere in the city so that even those moving around with banana peels, mango peels, orange peels should dump it in the specific waste bins, not just literally everywhere in the city.

so the city council should put in fines to those recalcitrant fellows and to compel them to turn their heaps in the dustbin. not dumping it 10 meters (from the) dustbin. so if they are fined and the people have been disciplined of littering the waste everywhere, i think it will also be a solution, that should be wrote. because even the councils or even the company wants to dispose the waste when there are no roads. how are they going to carry the waste? so the government should make sure, or the council should make sure their assets route to every dustbin, where the waste can be collected.

laura malou: according to the wealth health organization (who), the total number of waste generated from health care activities are about 85%. generally this is non-hazardous waste. the remaining 15% is considered hazardous- that may be infectious, toxic, or radioactive.

every year an estimated 16 billion injections are administered the world over, but not all needles and syringes are properly disposed of afterward and so, measures to ensure safe and environmentally sound management of waste can prevent adverse health and environmental hazards as waste composition by farmers will help bring out a healthy soil for crops.

organic waste will absorb water for crops, hence the reduction of waste. say “no” to single use plastics. laws that deal with proper waste disposal will be reinforced. education on personal hygiene, responsible education on personal hygiene responsibility will be reducing unsustainable practices and garbage.

efforts towards management education can be encouraged by individuals, local authorities and communities. comparatively, the nde council in the west region of cameroon has, over the years, recycled waste materials (plastics) in bringing out water bottles and many more. the community in the west region keeps working towards waste recycling.

mrs. edwina acha of the bamenda city blames her inability to finance waste materials (plastics) into water bottles as the population of bamenda faces a problem of water safety. she adds that, if the bamenda community will emulate the bafousam community, by recycling waste, then the rampant heeps on major roads and streets will be reduced. the future seeks to provide a safe and a sustainable environment for the next generation.

this radio podcast has been ensured by a u.s.-based media outlet planet forward. for editing material it has been ensured by desmond ateiyhyiem. morally and financially assisted by mom, madame naku martina. for presentation, i have been laura malou.

photos by edwina acha and nfor godlove.

a brief chat and interaction with ‘mama bouteille’ revealed some of the challenges faced by informal waste pickers in cameroon, an important sector in the waste-value chain, specifically that of single-use plastic bottles. 

shining a light on an important population

the world today is gradually gaining consciousness on the dire need to regulate the production of single-use plastics, design more environmentally friendly options, while developing and scaling solutions to the massive legacy that plastic pollution has already created. 

this is the reason why a recent gathering of world leaders and decision-makers at the unesco headquarters in paris led to an agreement that facilitate the adoption on international regulations on plastic waste management.

without any doubt, winning the fight against plastic pollution requires a holistic approach that takes into consideration new and effectively enforced policies and legislations; innovative solutions that address the root causes (producers), sensitization campaigns to change mindsets, and multiplying/scaling valorization initiatives that shed a light on the people working on this issue at the ground level. 

in the case of the valorization strategy, there is a need to pay attention to an important group of stakeholders: the informal waste pickers. 

informal waste pickers generally play a vital role in recovering waste materials known to have an intrinsic value from landfills, open dump sites, streets, and waterbodies. these workers are often considered invisible in society and operate under-the-radar for many people. however, they serve as an important bridge in the management of municipal solid waste such as plastic waste.

their intervention is usually at the end of the plastics value chain where they recover discarded plastic bottles, generally in exchange for small cash payments. some of the waste materials highly sought after by informal waste pickers include iron, aluminum, and plastics such as single-use plastic bottles among several other items. according to many local waste pickers, materials such as iron and aluminum have gained such high value, that they’ve become increasingly rare in the environment.

this is not yet the case with plastic waste, which explains why a great proportion of the over 600,000 tons of plastic waste generated annually in cameroon can be seen polluting seemingly every corner of the environment. despite the magnitude of the problem, however, informal waste pickers are chipping away at the problem in efforts to sustain themselves financially and clean up their environments.

the successes and challenges of informal waste picking

in yaoundé, mama bouteille has been able to feed and care for her family for over six years now thanks to money she earns collecting and selling discarded single-use-plastic bottles from different areas within the city, where bottles are known to accumulate in unimaginable numbers.

she has introduced about 10 other families to the business of collecting and selling plastic bottles, an achievement which she is proud of. according to mama bouteille, reflecting on the number of families she has been able to successfully introduce into the informal waste picking business has been a major motivational force for her to continue working to improve the living conditions around her neighborhood.

unfortunately, mama bouteilles complained of the health and safety challenges faced by her and other informal waste pickers who generally do not have the opportunity to undergo safety trainings, nor possess the necessary personal protective equipment. the lack of appropriate equipment sometimes leads to accidents in the course of their work and to the ingestion of particles and other pollutants arising from the waste piles. she expressed concern regarding the potential health impacts of their waste picking activities and also revealed that she had sustained a fracture incurred in the course of her work. 

according to an article post by the world bank, plastic waste not only surrounds us, but is present as microplastics in the air we breathe, inside glacial ice, in the fish we eat, in the water we drink and has been identified in human placenta by italian researches. another report in the journal, environmental science and pollution research, indicates that potential human health impacts of ingesting micropplastics can include asthma, obesity, respiratory disease, and cancer among others.

despite these challenges, there are numerous other solutions that are contributing to addressing the plastic pollution present in the environment. these include recycling solutions that transform plastic waste into different marketable products such as pavement, roofing tiles, pallets, plastic straps and lumber among other things.

however, collection and recycling rates still remain very low on a global scale. according to the organization for economic co-operation and development, only 9% of the plastic waste generated is recycled. this is a mind-boggling statistic which demonstrates the opportunity existing in this sector, especially for the informal waste pickers whose role in making these plastic waste available for recycling companies cannot be understated.

however, these workers require better working conditions and pay for their tremendous efforts to free our environment from plastic pollution.

one of these residents is eke cynthia, a cameroonian who was internally displaced by an ongoing secessionist war in the northwest region of the nation. the young mother remains troubled with the sanitary conditions of the island and the consequences for her one-year-old baby girl.

the poor quality of water and hygiene has made water sources endemic to diseases like cholera and measles. “it is a bit challenging for us here with the nature of the environment and everything. no access to drinking water, lack of medical personnel and poor transport and health facilities. i suffered during my pregnancy and had complications. now i fear for my child who is growing up,” said cynthia.

according to the world health organization, “between 29 october 2021 and 30 april 2022, a total of 6652 suspected cases including 134 deaths (case fatality ratio 2%) have been reported“ in the country. “we have been at the mercy of international non-governmental organizations like the clinton health access initiative and doctors without borders. if not for their prompt intervention the cholera situation would have been worse,” said pa mbi mathew, a community health worker.

cynthia and the rest of the islanders rely on rain barrels and the purchasing of potable water from the mainland, a two hour round trip by canoe. “in order to survive we buy water from tiko and douala in big drums of 200 liters and gallons of 20 liters and even mineral water in plastic bottles. the prices range from 400 fcfa (0.7usd) to 4000 fcfa (7usd) excluding transportation to and fro,” said cynthia. the high importation of mineral water makes matters even worse with plastic bottles littered everywhere which are often washed away into the ocean.

just when she thought things would be better in 2020 when the community tried digging a borehole, the project was met with failure. the project yielded only salty water, none of it was fresh enough to drink. so the next option was to make use of what she had, by collecting and conserving water especially during the rainy season.

cynthia also uses imported plastic mineral water bottles, but instead of dumping these bottles, she recycles them into pipelines to collect water and fill the rain barrels. “after our disappointment in 2020, we decided to use plastic bottles to collect water rather than litter the environment with no proper waste disposal system. when we collect the water it can sustain us for the whole year especially those with more barrels,” said cynthia. she is now more confident that her health and that of her daughter is assured as her environmental friendly measure to get drinking water reduces their vulnerability to waterborne diseases. 

the practice of recycling empty water bottles makes her community an example of sustainability and care for the environment. as an activist in the community, cynthia clings to a glimmer of hope that the government will come to their rescue as they continue surviving the storms.