Fly-tipping is a scourge and landfills like the sprawling Mbeubeuss site near the capital Dakar are overstretched, with several thousand tonnes of detritus dumped daily, polluting the ground and water.

For young Senegalese entrepreneurs keen on cleaning up their country and turning a profit in the process, enthusiasm is not lacking—but technology, funding and public awareness are.

President Macky Sall has proposed turning Senegal into a "zero waste" nation and banned single-use plastics in 2020.

But after decades of chaotic management in dealing with the problems, activists see negligible progress.

"The law is still not applied and alternative solutions are not put forward," said Aisha Conte, head of the country's zero-waste association.

Recycling up close

Onboard a ship that recently docked at Dakar, Baptiste Lomenech walked a group of entrepreneurs through some basics in plastic recycling.

He's a crewmember with Plastic Odyssey, a three-year around-the-world floating initiative that showcases expertise and equipment to would-be recyclers living in countries struggling with major plastic pollution.