By Jemimah Chungu
As global temperatures soar, so does the reliance on sachet-water in Sub-Saharan Africa. While these tiny packages offer hydration, they leave behind a trail of environmental and health repercussions. That far, the health repercussions outweigh their convenience.
Sachet-water, simply water sealed in thin plastic bags, has become ubiquitous in middle to low-income countries. Its popularity has surged due to water scarcity, soaring demand, and the prohibitive cost of bottled water in the face of rising temperatures. It’s portable and often considered safe, but there’s a darker side to this seemingly innocent innovation.
The plastic sachets, discarded with alarming frequency, present a monumental waste management problem. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where waste mismanagement is all too common, the environmental fallout is dire.
According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), empty water sachets are carelessly strewn along roadsides, blocking drains, polluting the air when incinerated, and creating breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes. Shockingly, 19 to 23 million tones of plastic leak into aquatic ecosystems annually, harming over 800 species.
Nigeria, particularly fast-growing cities like Lagos, bears the brunt of this issue, with an estimated 50-60 million used sachets littering the streets daily. These sachets, made from plastic, contribute significantly to the ever-growing plastic pollution problem.
Beyond the visible litter, the environmental impact is insidious. More than 13,000 chemicals associated with plastic production, use, and disposal wreak havoc on the ecosystem. These chemicals leach into the environment, harming flora and fauna, contaminating aquatic bodies and land masses, and even contributing to ozone layer depletion and climate change.
The consequences extend to human health, with chemical pollution, vector-borne diseases, visual pollution, and a deteriorating environment causing widespread suffering. It’s a stark reminder that the environmental goods and services we often take for granted are in jeopardy.
Perhaps the most alarming aspect of this crisis is that plastics endure for millennia, leaving a legacy of harm that persists for thousands of years. As we grapple with the urgent issue of sachet-water pollution, it’s clear that a more sustainable solution is urgently needed—one that quenches our thirst without compromising the health of our planet and its inhabitants.
