Zimbabwe Targets Harmful Plastic Chemicals Under Regional POPs Project
21:43 02.07.2025 (Updated: 22:04 02.07.2025)
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Zimbabwe Targets Harmful Plastic Chemicals Under Regional POPs Project
Zimbabwe has joined a five-year regional initiative to reduce harmful chemicals in plastics, focusing on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that pose serious health and environmental risks.
🟠Project: “Secular and Purpose-Free Plastics in Africa”
“These chemical compounds increase the durability of plastics, but they have serious health implications, including cancer,” Professor Farai Mapanda, national technical coordinator and University of Zimbabwe academic, was quoted as saying by local media.
🟠Zimbabwe is characterizing plastic waste, identifying pollutants, and training waste recyclers to mitigate harmful effects.
“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,” Mapanda noted.
🟠The initiative aligns with the Presidential Waste Collection Programme, aiming for a holistic approach to ensure collected waste is recycled or repurposed.
🟠The project targets manufacturers and importers, urging adoption of safer chemical alternatives.
“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 Mapanda.
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