Marine plastic pollution in West Africa – the case of Ivory Coast

Africa remains the continent with the least information on marine plastic pollution. Since 2022, we have undertaken a series of multidisciplinary research efforts to address this gap in Ivory Coast (West Africa, north of the Gulf of Guinea). The importation of raw primary materials for the plastics industry (457,000 tons in 2023) is projected to reach 1 million tons annually within the next five years. The annual per capita consumption of plastic is approximately 19–26 kg. Mismanagement of waste leads to more than 200,000 tons of plastic being exported to the ocean annually. Local oceanic circulation allows a significant portion of this pollution to reach coastal areas. Depending on the season, the western and eastern coastal regions around Abidjan (a city with 6 million inhabitants and the economic hub of the country) are heavily impacted. Tourism activities, particularly sun and beach tourism, are severely affected by plastic waste washing ashore. Littoral fisheries are also directly impacted, with most small pelagic fish species (e.g., Sardinella sp.) ingesting microplastics. This poses a significant threat to both public health and food safety in the country. At the interface between Abidjan and the ocean, the Ébrié Lagoon is the primary recipient of domestic plastic pollution. Microplastic accumulation within lagoon sediments has reached unprecedented concentrations. Plastic recycling, which mainly involves industrial waste, remains a marginal activity. Although a law officially banning the use of certain types of plastic (e.g., packaging bags) was introduced in 2013, it has never been implemented due to a lack of explicit political will. The trend, therefore, continues toward an irreversible increase in both the import of raw materials and the use of plastic products, leading to a worsening pollution crisis. These various elements paint an alarming picture that local authorities struggle to address, largely due to the economic importance of the plastics industry (2% of GDP and over 200,000 direct jobs). Our advocacy must continue to engage all stakeholders in civil society, starting with the youngest members—schoolchildren and students. Policymakers must also be informed, and information sessions are planned at both local (municipal councils) and national (senate) levels. Donors have also to be approached for funding both research actions and sensitization-remediation operations. This presentation will highlight the key findings from our research and outline the upcoming action plans.