PLASTIC POLLUTION: RECYCLING PLASTIC MEANS ACCEPTING ITS CONTINUED PRODUCTION
Every year, millions of tonnes of plastic waste are generated worldwide. As plastic pollution continues to worsen, recycling is often promoted as the primary solution. However, an increasing number of environmental experts and organizations argue that recycling fails to address the root cause of the crisis: the overproduction of plastic.
While recycling plays an important role in waste management, only a small proportion of plastics placed on the market are actually recycled. Large quantities are incinerated, landfilled, or eventually find their way into rivers and oceans. Moreover, many plastics lose quality after each recycling cycle and can only be recycled a limited number of times before becoming unusable.
Critics of the current model argue that emphasizing recycling may create the illusion that plastic consumption has little environmental impact. Manufacturers continue producing increasing amounts of single-use plastic packaging while highlighting its « recyclable » nature. This narrative risks shifting attention away from reducing plastic production and toward waste management alone.
What Is Togo’s Position on Plastic Bags?
In Togo, Decree No. 2011-003/PR, adopted on 5 January 2011, governs the management of plastic bags and packaging. Article 2 states that the production, importation, distribution, and commercialization of non-biodegradable plastic bags and packaging are prohibited. The decree was signed by President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé.
In 2019, the Togo100Plastique movement was spontaneously launched on WhatsApp by environmental activist Sena Alouka, Executive Director of the NGO Jeunes Volontaires pour l’Environnement (JVE). The movement held its first meeting on 3 March 2019 at the TV5Monde House in Lomé to coordinate a nationwide citizen campaign promoting civil disobedience against plastic bags.
Its objective was to encourage the Togolese population to reduce plastic bag use by 50% by the end of 2019 and 90% by 2022, while urging public authorities to fully enforce existing regulations.
Seven years after the adoption of the decree, however, plastic bags remain widely used across the country. Despite the legal ban, they continue to be part of everyday life in many households.
Does the Recycling Industry Sustain the Problem?
Although recycling is widely presented as a key response to plastic pollution, it has become the subject of growing debate. Many environmental advocates believe that the expansion of the recycling economy should not obscure a more fundamental issue. As long as demand exists for recycled plastic materials, it may indirectly support or even encourage the continued production of virgin plastic.
Recycling has evolved into a significant economic sector, generating investment, employment, and commercial opportunities. While it contributes to waste recovery, it does not solve the problem of excessive plastic production. On the contrary, some manufacturers promote the recyclability of their packaging to justify continued production of single-use plastics.
At the Centre for Environmental Justice – Togo (CJE-Togo), the organization does not support recycling as the primary solution. « Supporting recycling means encouraging the use of plastic bags » said Kwami Kpondzo, Executive Director of CJE-Togo.
According to critics, this approach creates a vicious cycle: the more plastic is produced, the more waste must be collected and recycled, thereby sustaining an economic model that depends on a continuous flow of plastic materials. The consequence is that waste management may take precedence over waste prevention.
Civil Society Calls for a Different Approach
Across many countries, civil society organizations are advocating for a more preventive strategy: reducing plastic production at its source, promoting reuse systems, encouraging sustainable packaging alternatives, and strengthening producer responsibility.
For these organizations, the best waste is the waste that is never produced. The real challenge, they argue, is not simply to improve recycling systems but to prevent unnecessary plastic production in the first place.
Against this backdrop, the statement « Recycling plastic means saying yes to its production » is intended as a call for reflection. It raises a fundamental question: Are we trying to save the planet or are we turning environmental protection into another business model ?
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