A general view of plastic and other waste dumped on the side of a road in the Kintambo district of Kinshasa, on July 24, 2024. A total of 7,800 tons of municipal solid waste is produced everyday in Kinshasa, according to a study published in scientific journal Heliyon in 2023. Local authorities, the European Union and other organisations have launched programmes to tackle the problem in the densely packed city of 17 million inhabitants. But most initiatives were short-term and city authorities have yet to launch a centralised rubbish collection and treatment programme, leading to mounds of rubbish in rivers, streets, and corners of the city. (Photo by Hardy_Bope / AFP)