As part of the SMEP Programme empirical evidence from plastic pollution mitigation projects in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya has highlighted the importance of an organized framework to address plastics pollution, including clear guidelines for adoption of biodegradables and compostables in West and East Africa in applications where they can support environmental objectives. Local policies and regulatory processes seek to manage plastic pollution through a combination of legislation, standards for suppliers and extended producer responsibility, but there is a growing realization that uncoordinated national actions alone are not enough. Regional collective actions can promote wider impact, for example, the East African Community (EAC) is considering legislation to harmonize rules to control single use plastics in the region.

To support the implementation of appropriate policies and legislation to reduce plastics pollution and promote circular systems in East and West Africa, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has partnered with the Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS) to evaluate the current status of the policy and legislative framework of plastic products, including circularity, biodegradability and compostability, as well as accompanying standards. This includes an examination of regulations adopted to guide market agents in the sustainable use of biodegradables and compostable plastics and alternative materials in the global south. The findings of this study will be captured in a report designed to guide higher environmental ambition in plastics, including biodegradation and compostability. This report will subsequently be used as the basis for a 2-day regional workshop in Nairobi, Kenya.

The workshop aims to present the report's findings to national stakeholders and foster enhanced collaboration on plastic-related standards and policies. The workshop will convene National Standards Bodies (NSBs), Environmental Regulators from Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana, and other key stakeholders, providing a platform for in-depth discussions and coordination.  The output of this workshop is expected to provide guidance to the eventual East Africa Single Use Plastics (SUP) Bill, being appraised by the regional parliament later this year. The workshop is being delivered in cooperation with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the ALN.

By the conclusion of the workshop, attending stakeholders should have clarity on the policy and standards landscape in their respective, and each other's, countries and regions, as well as recommendations for a clear framework that assists market players to introduce and manage plastic products responsibly across their lifecycle. The knowledge shared and links created in this event should further strengthen cross-border efforts to move away from avoidable and mislabeled single-use plastics in Africa, and assist regulatory harmonization.