Yaoundé is suffocating under the weight of plastic bags. The pollution and environmental consequences of the use of these packages have led the authorities to think about an alternative.

The Yaoundé I City Hall launched yesterday a campaign to raise awareness of the use of plastic bags.

As part of the "Zero Plastic" initiative, the municipality wants to phase out the use of non-biodegradable packaging and rather encourage the use of recyclable bags made from wood-based kraft paper. 5,000 such bags will be distributed to the municipality's merchants during a caravan scheduled for today.

“Our priority here is also to preserve the health of our population by making them realize the danger that comes with the use of plastic bags,” said the head of the hygiene and sanitation department of the Yaoundé 1 City Hall, Christophe Ntsa.

As a reminder, the manufacture, import, possession, and marketing or free distribution of non-biodegradable plastic packaging with low density (less than or equal to 60 microns) is prohibited in the country since April 1, 2014. However, after 9 years, things do not seem to have changed. On the contrary, the pollution they generate is reaching more and more alarming levels.