This paper assesses the economic and technical feasibility of the production, deployment and scale-up of substitutes for single-use plastics (SUPs) in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. A shift towards SUP substitutes could be one means of addressing the growing environmental and health challenges, including marine pollution, posed by the mismanagement of plastic waste in these regions.

On the basis of this assessment and an evaluation of a range of potential substitute materials from a life-cycle perspective, the paper proposes specific plastic substitute options that could be considered for Bangladesh in South Asia and for Nigeria and Kenya in sub-Saharan Africa. These countries have been selected on the basis of a number of criteria including coastal locations, problems and challenges faced with regard to SUP pollution, a certain degree of manufacturing capacity, and both awareness of and initiatives to address plastic pollution among government and civil society groups. The potential for these countries to harness trade-related opportunities in these feedstocks and end-use products is also explored.

Chapter 1 examines environmental and health challenges arising from SUPs in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, highlighting particular examples from Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP)1 target countries (UNCTAD, n.d.), including the paper’s three focus countries: Bangladesh, Kenya and Nigeria2. It builds on and incorporates research and experiences developed under UNCTAD’s Programme on Oceans Economy and Fisheries3. It identifies some problematic SUPs, on the basis of a global survey of beach litter in certain countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. It also reviews gaps and challenges related to waste management and recycling that heighten the SUP pollution problem in these countries.