Several international consumer goods companies operating across Africa have come together to launch the Africa Plastics Recycling Alliance.  

This Alliance, which was launched at the at the CEO Africa Forum in Kigali, 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.

Plastics still an important packaging material

The Africa Plastics Recycling Alliance includes consumer goods companies lie Diageo, Unilever, The Coca Cola Company, and Nestlé sets out to help companies to:

• Facilitate and support their local subsidiaries to engage proactively in market level public private partnerships, industry collaboration and alliances
• Share knowledge, encourage innovation and collaborate on technical and other solutions appropriate for Sub-Saharan Africa as well as participate in local pilot initiatives
• Engage with the investment community, policy makers and others to accelerate the development and financing of the necessary waste management infrastructure and systems.

Speaking via statement released after the launch the Alliance said that plastics would remain an important packaging material to give African consumers the safe and affordable products they need.

“However, we need to ensure that used packaging does not end up as litter. Unfortunately, a lack of collection and recycling capacity in many African markets coupled with growing populations is creating a growing problem of plastics waste.

Creating jobs and reducing dependency on imports

“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. 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,” The Africa Plastics Recycling Alliance added.