By A Correspondent
Zimbabwe has embarked on a five-year regional initiative aimed at cutting down dangerous chemical additives in plastics, as part of a broader effort to protect human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
The country is actively involved in a programme titled “Secular and Purpose-Free Plastics in Africa,” which focuses on reducing harmful POPs in plastic materials. These chemicals, while used to enhance the durability of plastics, have been linked to serious health problems.
“These chemical compounds increase the durability of plastics, but they have serious health implications, including cancer,” said Professor Farai Mapanda, the national technical coordinator for the project and an academic at the University of Zimbabwe.
Prof Mapanda explained that Zimbabwe is currently working to characterise plastic waste, identify the types of pollutants present, and build the capacity of waste recyclers.
“Recyclers are a key part of this initiative. They help alleviate pressure on our waste disposal sites and prevent dangerous pollutants from leaching into groundwater or being released into the atmosphere during burning,” he said.
The initiative complements the ongoing Presidential Waste Collection Programme, which has seen growing efforts to rid the country of plastic waste. But Prof Mapanda stressed that waste collection alone is not enough.
“We are now advocating for a holistic approach that ensures collected waste is recycled or repurposed,” he said. “We aim to promote circularity in plastic use, minimising what ends up in dumpsites.”
Beyond recycling, the programme is also engaging plastic manufacturers and importers, urging them to shift towards safer chemical alternatives already being used successfully in other parts of the world.
“The goal is to eventually revise our legal and statutory instruments to mandate safer, non-toxic materials in both imported and locally produced plastics,” said Prof Mapanda.
He added that this medium-term intervention is intended to lay the groundwork for long-term legislative reforms that will shield future generations from the toxic impacts of POPs.
Through this initiative, Zimbabwe joins other African nations in confronting one of the most urgent environmental health threats of the modern era—plastic pollution laced with invisible, long-lasting toxins.