EPA Hosts Plastic Treaty Dialogue in Freetown
In its mission to ensure a safe environment in Sierra Leone, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) organized a Plastic Treaty Dialogue. The event gathered government officials, recyclers, development partners, civil society, and non-governmental organizations to discuss and evaluate options that represent Sierra Leone’s stance for the upcoming global negotiation session, aligned with the outcomes from the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) meeting in Ottawa, Canada.
The dialogue focused on the ongoing UN Plastic Treaty Negotiation, targeting global plastic pollution, especially its effects on marine environments. The EPA brought stakeholders together to review the next draft treaty text, developed with support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) under the Effective Capacity Building for Global Plastics Treaty in Africa (AFRIPAC) initiative.
The discussions involved examining the global compiled text to ensure alignment with Sierra Leone’s position, emphasizing polymers of concern and financial mechanisms for implementation.
Participants, both in person and virtually, provided input on Sierra Leone’s approach, considering factors related to single-use plastics, evaluating the proposed ban, existing infrastructure, and available alternatives for recycling or managing waste.
The dialogue concluded with action points, including a comprehensive study on the impact of single-use plastics, socio-economic implications, capacity building, and education on waste management and plastic pollution. A policy framework was proposed to enforce compliance with global and national resolutions, alongside an incentive system to promote recycling investments and the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
