Photographer and Activist Explores Plastic Pollution and Solutions in Benin, Africa
Anas Seko is a mobile photographer and activist who uses his art to shed light on plastic pollution in Benin, Africa, and who inspires the “Internet generation” to action. One of his latest works, The Taste of Plastic, depicts plastic pollution from the very personal perspective of how plastics pollute food—and by extension, our bodies. Specifically, Anas captures portraits of students from EPP Cocotomey, a primary school in Benin while they are eating their daily meals from plastic containers, packaging, and plates. He sets these images alongside information about how plastics can harm young people in Benin—and offers healthier plastic-free solutions.
For Plastic-Free July, Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) Communications Manager Erica Cirino interviewed Anas to learn more about what drives his work, and what he hopes its impact will be on his community and the wider world. What follows is their conversation, edited slightly for brevity and clarity.
Erica: When and how did you first become aware of plastic pollution?
Anas: I first became aware of plastic pollution in 2015 at school. I pay attention to what is around me, and I noticed so much plastic pollution being used there. So I began to ask myself, “What can I do to fight plastic pollution?”
Erica: How are people and the environment in Benin affected by plastic pollution?
Anas: They are affected in many different ways: Plastic blocks our drainage systems, harms animals, and enters the ocean. But then there’s the human side, where we are eating plastic used in daily life: there are microplastics, nanoplastics, and additives leaching into our food. Many people are not aware of this.
Erica: How commonly is plastic food packaging used in Benin?
Anas: We buy almost everything in plastic: black, green, white plastic bags and plastic wrap. Food is served on [expanded] polystyrene plates. Plastic bottles are used every day. It is not good for our health, and we do not take the necessary steps to prevent the problem from getting worse.
Erica: What are some of your main goals in photographing youth eating from plastic containers, packaging, and plates in The Taste of Plastic?
Anas: I want to make the invisible, visible, and show my community that plastic is not just what is around us—it is now inside of our bodies. I use photography to highlight how plastic can cause harm.
Erica: In The Taste of Plastic you discuss some of the dangers of plastic food packaging, particularly plastic chemicals and microplastics, alongside your images. Do you find that people are surprised to hear about these risks? How do they usually react?
Anas: People are surprised; they are shocked. Plastic is ubiquitous and everywhere. They can more clearly see the real impact and ask what they can do now. Yet there is a difference between awareness and action: What I want now is for people to take action. If they are shocked, they need to help solve the problem.
Erica: What are some alternatives to plastic food packaging in Benin, particularly traditional solutions and ancestral ways of life, that can be used instead?
Anas: There are many alternatives to plastic in Benin that are a part of our culture. We used clay dishes, calabashes, banana leaves, and cloth bags; we bought food in bulk. But since plastic became ubiquitous, it is displacing our traditions. We have alternatives to using a lot of plastic—we just have to use our memories to remember them.
Erica: What kind of feedback have you received for The Taste of Plastic?
Anas: This is art, and with art you can touch emotions. The feedback is positive. People have a lot of questions and ask me, “What can we do?” “How can we save our shared Earth?” Beyond showing the problem of plastic, we need to bring people together to teach them about their relationship with plastic, and work toward solutions.
Erica: What’s your strategy for interesting youth and the “Internet Generation” to care about plastic pollution?
Anas: I am a creative person so there are many projects. When you are a ‘content creator,’ it is more than just making content that goes viral—you need to think of strategy, understanding the community and what they need and want. I use visual art and video, analyze text, create ‘challenges’ for people to participate in on social media. Plastic pollution is not rap or reggae, and young people are not usually immediately attracted to this issue. I use as many strategies as I can get to share information.
Content creation is important: We need understanding before taking action. I have many projects in the works, including Mission No Plastic—a training I will put on with the help of GAIA: four days to bring young people together to train them on the full plastics lifecycle. We are offering scholarships to young activists in Benin to strengthen them on social media and green content creation and branding. We have many content creators in Benin who can change things. With many people now on the plastic pollution playing field, what can we change?
Follow Anas Seko on Instagram. His upcoming four-day workshop, Mission No Plastic, will help train young activists and content creators about plastic pollution in Benin.
