2023-07-31 19:24:33
KINSHASA – On the sidelines of the celebration of the 9th edition of the Francophone Games which take place in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from July 28 to August 6, 2023, Greenpeace Africa and its partners have seized this opportunity to raise awareness against pollution due to single-use plastic packaging, and also popularize alternatives to fight against this scourge in Kinshasa, the first most French-speaking city in the world.
It was during the second day of the games, with the sporting match of the U20 football teams from Senegal against Congo Brazzaville in the Tata Raphaël stadium, that the volunteers of Greenpeace and its partners Save The Green World, the Youth Movement for the Protection of the Environment (MJPE) and the Network of Educators for Sustainable Development (REDD), stormed the stands and playground of the second sports complex in Kinshasa, which covers an area of 12,420 m2.
“Kinshasa alone produces more than 9,000 tons of waste per day, of which less than 10% is collected. And much of this waste ends up in waterways, which later become landfills. This situation is today the cause of floods, diseases and pollution. We can no longer content ourselves with mere promises, it is high time that Congolese youth make their voices heard and take charge of the situation by saying stop plastic,” said Jersey Mpanzu, Coordinator of Greenpeace Africa volunteers in the DRC.
According to Jonathan Mbaki, Executive Coordinator of REDD: “It is impossible to separate activism from patriotism, and this action allowed us to marry activism with patriotism. We have collected the plastic waste used by spectators at the Tata Raphaël stadium to be able to help the organizers of this competition to maintain cleanliness within this infrastructure”
Guy-Daniel Mwankana Mwepu, Principal Coordinator of Save The Green World adds: “Our action during these 9th Games of La Francophonie aims not only to raise public awareness of this issue but also to encourage decision-makers to take appropriate measures to raise awareness and educate the masses to better dispose of their plastic waste, in order to become aware of the danger we run when this is not the case on a daily basis. »
And for Bonaventure Bondo, Coordinator of MJPE: “Plastic kills. We call on the government to act and put in place effective policies to limit the production and use of plastic, favoring alternatives. We are also calling on policy makers around the world to take action to implement the global plastics treaty. “.
Plastic pollution has become a major environmental crisis globally. Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste flood our planet, harming people’s health, accelerating social injustice, destroying biodiversity and fueling the climate crisis. The world is being destroyed by disposable plastic.
“Greenpeace Africa and its allies are calling for a treaty that quickly moves us away from unnecessary plastic packaging and supports the development of refill and reuse systems globally. We need a treaty that encompasses the entire life cycle of plastic and focuses on reducing plastic production, otherwise the impact of plastic on climate, environmental justice and human health will not be taken into account”, concludes Jersey Mpanzu.
Source: Greenpeace Africa press release, 31.07.23
Images – source: Greenpeace Africa
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