A number of international consumer goods companies operating across Africa including Diageo, Unilever, the Coca Cola Company, and Nestlé have launchede at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali.
This Alliance aims to turn the current challenge of plastic waste in sub-Saharan Africa into an opportunity to create jobs and commercial activity by improving the collection and recycling of plastics.
Under the alliance, the companies will facilitate and support their local subsidiaries to engage proactively in market level public private partnerships, industry collaboration and alliances.
They will also share knowledge, encourage innovation and collaborate on technical and other solutions appropriate for Sub-Saharan Africa as well as participate in local pilot initiatives
Again, they will engage with the investment community, policymakers and others to accelerate the development and financing of the necessary waste management infrastructure and systems.
According to the Alliance, plastics will remain an important packaging material if we are to give African consumers the safe and affordable products they need.
However it said a lack of collection and recycling capacity in many African markets coupled with growing populations is creating a growing problem of plastics waste.
“We see an opportunity to tackle that problem in a way that creates jobs and reduces dependency on imported materials while alternatives to plastics are developed,” it said in a statement issued Tuesday.
“Collaboration within and across markets will be key to success so we are proud to launch the Africa Plastics Recycling Alliance today to increase those efforts and play our part as companies in finding solutions that work for Africa,” it said.
The Alliance said it seeks to tackle the threat plastic waste poses in sub-Saharan Africa by turning this into an opportunity to create jobs, promote economic activity and reduce import dependency through improved collection and recycling.
It said all the companies have individual commitments to tackle plastics waste and are already engaged with national institutions and platforms in various markets.
The commitments
Unilever: 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable and 25% recycled plastic content by 2025. Reduce packaging weight by one third and halve waste associated with product disposal by 2020.
Coca Cola Company: To help collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells globally by 2030, produce packaging that is 100% recyclable by 2025 and to use at least 50% recycled material in packaging by 2030. Existing partners include The Ocean Conservancy/Trash Free Seas Alliance, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Diageo: Ensure 100% of plastic use is designed to be widely recyclable (or reusable/compostable), using plastics that allow for increased consumer recycling rates. Achieve 40% average recycled content in plastic bottles and 100% by 2030. Reduce total packaging weight by 15% by 2020.
Nestle: Make 100% of its packaging recyclable or re-usable by 2025. Focus on developing packaging of the future and eliminate non-recyclable or hard to recycle plastics. Projects to help shape a waste-free future, founded on neutrality.
By 3news.com|Ghana