ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses about plastic usage policies which are implemented by the governments of African countries to combat plastic pollution. It is known that the issue of plastic pollution occurs severely in developing countries resulted from rapid population growth and urbanisation. All these factors have led to exponential growth of plastic usages yet lacking the necessary waste management infrastructures to treat plastic wastes. Mismanaged disposal of plastic waste is also a contributing factor to the man-made disasters such as lethal flash floods. In several countries where plastic bags are banned under the implementation of a “plastic usage policy”; the plastic bags are found to be smuggled from neighbouring countries which do not implement similar policies. This has resulted plastic bags is being sold widely and remains in use by the local population even after banning the carrier plastic bags. Hence, this chapter covers the effectiveness of plastic reduction policies which are enforced by African countries. While the challenges and difficulties faced by the African countries in the process of employing and enforcing the plastic usage policies are discussed as well.
