Sudan is facing a worsening plastic pollution crisis despite previous attempts to enforce control measures. Plastic bags and wrappers continue to litter both urban and rural environments, obstructing drainage systems, polluting water bodies, and harming animals and ecosystems. While global attention turns to sustainable packaging and legislative reforms, Sudan is struggling with enforcement gaps, limited public awareness, and resistance from powerful economic stakeholders.

Plastic waste has become a severe environmental and public health issue. Bags cling to trees, clog city infrastructure, and scatter across marketplaces and roadsides. Environmental experts warn that this pollution blocks plant-soil interaction, creates breeding grounds for harmful parasites, and contributes to the death of animals — particularly livestock such as goats that ingest discarded plastic materials.

Some experts are calling for a return to traditional, biodegradable materials such as woven baskets in place of single-use plastic bags. This would not only reduce environmental damage but also reconnect communities with low-impact, locally available packaging solutions.

Efforts to legislate against plastics in Sudan have faced persistent challenges. Although certain regions attempted to impose bans on plastic bags as early as 2018, enforcement proved weak. Inconsistent implementation, absence of effective sanctions, and a lack of eco-friendly alternatives contributed to the failure of these policies to gain traction.

A major barrier has been economic resistance. Stakeholders in the petrochemical and plastics industries have argued that strict regulations could threaten thousands of jobs and significant capital investments. With more than 3,000 plastic workshops and over 100 factories in operation, plastic packaging is deeply embedded in the country’s industrial fabric.

“Plastic pollution is killing our ecosystems, yet production continues unchecked. We need strict controls and sustainable alternatives,” said one environmental professional involved in community waste initiatives.

Despite earlier estimates that Sudan produces over 180,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually, comprehensive strategies to manage or recycle this waste are still lacking. No significant infrastructure exists for waste segregation, plastic recovery, or circular economy initiatives that could reduce dependency on single-use plastics.

Several solutions have been proposed to address this worsening situation. Experts emphasize the need to invest in biodegradable packaging innovations, incentivize low-impact production methods, and introduce clear, enforceable packaging regulations. Community awareness and education are also crucial — helping shift consumer behavior toward refusing single-use plastics and supporting reusable alternatives.

Sudan has the potential to align with broader global trends in sustainable packaging, but this requires local reform. Key steps include deploying targeted civic education campaigns, supporting local businesses in developing compostable packaging, and building infrastructure for waste collection and material recovery. By transitioning from a linear to a circular packaging economy, Sudan can begin to reverse the growing environmental harm caused by unmanaged plastic waste.