Guinea bans single-use plastics, threatening livelihoods
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Houssainatou Touré, a plastic collector in Guinea, expressed concern about how the country’s new ban on single-use plastics would affect her income and the families who depend on it.
Starting September 20, 2026, Guinea prohibited plastic packaging and single-use plastic items. Touré gathers plastic from young collectors, cleans it, and sells it to factories, an activity she says is her only source of revenue. She explained that many families rely on this work, especially given limited employment opportunities.
Touré worries that without this income, families will struggle to afford school or other necessities, and some might turn to crime or attempt dangerous migration. She asked the government to help people dependent on plastic collection find alternative ways to earn money. Touré described her business model, purchasing plastic from young collectors for 1,000 Guinean francs per kilogram and selling it to factories for 2,500 to 3,000 francs, depending on cleanliness.
She believes that organizing the sector and professionalizing the work could increase earnings and enable people to start other businesses. She directly appealed to President Mamadi Doumbouya for assistance.
