ECO2RUPPERS Africa has launched a continent-wide initiative to prevent the loss of an estimated $70 billion due to plastic pollution. The organization has announced the mobilization of a staggering 250 million volunteers across Africa’s 54 nations, marking a significant step towards a future free from plastic waste.

The campaign, known as the Eco-Marshalls Project, aims to train, empower, and deploy a new generation of eco-conscious youths, positioning them at the forefront of the largest green citizen action campaign the continent has ever seen.

This initiative is not just about environmental protection; it’s a strategic push to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on fostering climate-smart and resilient economies led by women and youths.

As the global plastic overshoot day looms on September 5, 2024—a day when the world’s plastic waste output is expected to exceed our waste management capabilities—ECO2RUPPERS Africa is urging individuals, businesses, and governments to take a stand against plastic pollution. Their rallying cry, “Act Your Part Against Plastic Pollution in Africa,” is a call to build a healthier, plastic-free future for all.

The shift towards a circular economy, particularly in the global South, could dramatically reduce the amount of plastics entering our oceans by over 80% by 2040, according to ECO2RUPPERS Africa.

This transition could also slash virgin plastic production by 55%, save governments $70 billion, cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25%, and generate 700,000 new jobs.

The “Mother Earth Day” theme, “Planet vs. Plastics,” underscores the urgent need to tackle the growing plastic waste crisis that endangers human health and environmental stability.

ECO2RUPPERS Africa warns of the dire consequences of unchecked plastic production and pollution, which contribute to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature loss, and pollution—a catastrophe in the making.

The organisation highlights the health risks associated with plastic exposure, including potential impacts on fertility, hormonal balance, metabolism, and neurological functions. Moreover, the open burning of plastics is a significant contributor to air pollution.

By 2050, it’s projected that greenhouse gas emissions from plastic production, usage, and disposal could represent 15% of the allowable emissions under the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C (34.7°F).

The pollution also affects over 800 marine and coastal species through ingestion and entanglement, with an estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic waste entering our oceans annually—a figure expected to triple by 2040.

Africa currently produces around 19 million tonnes of plastic waste per year, with nearly 90% being mismanaged. Plastic constitutes 13% of the continent’s municipal solid waste, yet only 4% is recycled.

If current trends persist, the World Bank predicts that Africa could generate 116 million tonnes of plastic waste annually by 2060, a sixfold increase from today’s levels.

Alarmingly, by March 2024, over 84% of African countries had already surpassed their Plastic Overshoot Day, highlighting the environmental crisis rooted in the imbalance between plastic production, use, and the world’s capacity to manage the resulting waste.

ECO2RUPPERS Africa’s initiative is a critical step towards addressing this imbalance and fostering a sustainable future for the continent.