Documentary "Mindoumbe" highlights Gabon's environmental crisis

The film immerses viewers in the Mindoubé landfill, which has become a symbol of waste management failures in the Gabonese capital over decades. "Mindoumbe" exposes the environmental and health consequences of a site exploited for over forty-five years, including water pollution, mangrove destruction, plastic waste proliferation, health risks, and social precarity. The documentary features residents living near the refuse mountain, including a woman who salvages items for resale to support her family.

It also shows the Lowé River, choked with plastic waste flowing to the sea, transforming a natural resource into a source of pollution. Matamba Kombila stated that the artificial hill, dozens of meters high and covering ten hectares, inspired the film, emphasizing that it would not exist without forty-five years of accumulated waste. A debate, "Imagining tomorrow's recycling circuits," followed the screening, bringing together sustainable development and environmental protection experts.

Dr. Saint Bickolard Mabicka Iwangou, a wood science specialist, highlighted the crucial role of mangroves in combating climate change and warned about the destructive effects of illegal dumps on these fragile ecosystems and aquatic biodiversity. Afame Edou Tchouindo, a sustainable development expert and corporate social responsibility CSR consultant, str