Cameroonian student builds boats out of used plastic bottles.

Record ID: 904682

  • Title: Cameroonian student builds boats out of used plastic bottles.
  • Date: 1st August 2017
  • Summary: KRIBI, CAMEROON (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BILLBOARD READING (French): WELCOME TO KRIBI VARIOUS OF BOAT MADE OUT OF PLASTIC BOTTLES ON BEACH STUDENT AND PLASTIC BOAT INVENTOR, ISMAEL ESSOME EBONE AND FISHERMEN LOOKING AT BOAT MADE OUT OF PLASTIC BOTTLES ISMAEL AND FISHERMEN PUSHING BOAT INTO LAKE VARIOUS OF ISMAEL ROWING BOAT MADE OUT PLASTIC BOTTLES (SOUNDBITE) (French) FISHERMAN, EMMANUEL JAPA SAYING: "The boat is well done, it looks good. At the beginning, we thought that it was a joke, but then we came to realise that he really made a good and solid boat. We want to congratulate him and encourage him to continue." DOUALA, CAMEROON (RECENT) (REUTERS) DOUALA STREET SCENE VARIOUS OF PLASTIC BOTTLE WASTE IN RIVER USED PLASTIC BOTTLES CLOGGING RIVER VARIOUS OF ISMAEL AND COLLEAGUES PICKING UP PLASTIC BOTTLES FOR RECYCLING (SOUNDBITE) (French) STUDENT AND PLASTIC BOAT INVENTOR, ISMAEL ESSOME EBONE SAYING: "Science tells us that it takes about 450 years to disintegrate, so in order to be completely destroyed, because it's not bio-degradable. This has catastrophic effects on the environment. A bridge like the one you see here is clogged. 80 percent of that is caused by bottles. About a week ago, the rains that fell across Douala flooded most of the neighbourhoods. It turns out that there were many causes but 60 percent of the main cause of the floods was due to plastic bottles." ISMAEL ARRANGING COLLECTED BOTTLES CLEAN RECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLES TIED TOGETHER VARIOUS OF MAN TYING TOGETHER RECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLES TIED BOTTLES ON THE GROUND (SOUNDBITE) (French) STUDENT AND PLASTIC BOAT INVENTOR, ISMAEL ESSOME EBONE, SAYING: "This is what we want to fight for. We want to propose innovative tricks that can be used and put these plastic bottles to good use. That's what Madiba and nature does. We want to offer an innovative product, a useful and different tool at the same time that can be used for fishing, because the boats that we build are also environmentally friendly. We want to develop them further for fishing, because there is great need for fishing boats here. There are fishermen who do not have boats because they are too expensive. We also want to use them to promote eco-tourism." ISMAEL TYING PLASTIC BOTTLES WITH STRINGS YOUNG BOYS LOOKING AS ISMAEL WORKS ISMAEL SHOWING FRIENDS HOW TO TIE PLASTIC BOTTLES TOGETHER
  • Embargoed: 15th August 2017 17:48
  • Keywords: Recycling plastic waste pollution innovation
  • Location: DOUALA AND KRIBI, CAMEROON
  • City: DOUALA AND KRIBI, CAMEROON
  • Country: Cameroon
  • Topics: Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016SBRM8N
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: At the seaside town of Kribi, in Cameroon's South Province, student and entrepreneur Ismael Essome Ebode is showcasing his latest invention to local fishermen - a boat made out of recycled plastic bottles.
    The young inventor came up with an idea to make a boat from used plastics, in a bid to fight against pollution in his country.
    In this fishing community, many are accustomed to what they see as a sturdier and safer option - wooden boats.
    As he tests the boat in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Ismael is hoping to convince people here to use the cheaper and more environmentally friendly option of plastic boats instead.
    "The boat is well done, it looks good. At the beginning, we thought that it was a joke, but then we came to realise that he really made a good and solid boat. We want to congratulate him and encourage him to continue," said fisherman Emmanuel Japa.
    Tired of seeing plastic waste and bottles clogging up the drains of his home city of Douala, Ismael took it upon himself to help lessen the damage to the country's flood-prone city and help prevent pollution, by using plastic waste.
    Cameroon's government has been trying to tackle the country's pollution troubles for years, but with little success.
    Cheaper than other alternatives, plastic bags and bottles are popular in a country where the average income is less than 500 Central African francs (cfa) ($5) a day, and laws aimed at curbing the use and sale of disposable plastics remain ineffective.
    "Science tells us that it takes about 450 years to disintegrate, so in order to be completely destroyed, because it's not bio-degradable. This has catastrophic effects on the environment. A bridge like the one you see here is clogged. 80 percent of that is caused by bottles. About a week ago, the rains that fell across Douala flooded most of the neighbourhoods. It turns out that there were many causes but 60 percent of the main cause of the floods was due to plastic bottles," said Ismael.
    Through his start-up, Madiba and Nature, Ismael and a team of volunteers hit the streets of Douala, collecting plastic bottles and waste in various parts of the city every week.
    The bottles are then sorted, cleaned and bound together with twine to build the boat.
    "This is what we want to fight for. We want to propose innovative tricks that can be used and put these plastic bottles to good use. That's what Madiba and nature does. We want to offer an innovative product, a useful and different tool at the same time that can be used for fishing, because the boats that we build are also environmentally friendly. We want to develop them further for fishing, because there is great need for fishing boats here. There are fishermen who do not have boats because they are too expensive. We also want to use them to promote eco-tourism," said Ismael.
    So far, Ismael and his colleagues have made five boats from plastic bottles. He also hopes to expand and make household items out of recycled material.
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