Plastic materials are dumped just anyhow, everywhere and hardly rot especially buried in the ground. These plastic materials do lasts for years in the soil and since they do not rot, and do prevent plant roots from penetrating thus obstruct the free circulation of water and soil nutrients in such areas.
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Given that plastic bottles and materials are readily available in large quantities, and there is no regulation in Cameroon so far on its disposal, they are now found littered around everywhere.
Be it household waste, roadsides, dustbins, market places, or even play grounds, these plastic bottles and papers have in recent times become a real sour sight.
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It is therefore needless to talk about its effects in nearby streams, rivers especially in towns when it rains. Plastic materials are known to be carried by runoff into water ways which often get blocked and even cause floods.
As concerns loss of soil fertility, careless disposal of this same kind of waste in Cameroon and other countries has led to the loss of soil fertility especially when dumped in concentrated farm lands, thus retarding food production.
This is because they cannot decompose and therefore do not help in the formation of good soils as well as contribute in killing soil organisms.
Also, the littering or disposal of these wastes degrades our environment, thus making it unpleasant. It can equally blocks sewage and water pipes which can eventually lead to the spread of cholera as well as killing aquatic animals.
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However, the recycling of plastic material into other products can be one of the ways to handle this plastic mess.
As such, environmentalists and civil society organisations could lobby to see that the Cameroon government as well as others passes a law on waste disposal and recycling.
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We can equally develop an attitude of refusing both plastic papers and bottles. We need to develop a positive attitude towards the usage plastics as we can get drown in them if not managed in a sustainable manner.
Thanks for reading and support.
