Coca-cola, Unilever, Nestle and Diageo have launched the Africa Plastics Recycling Alliance (APRA) to intensify plastic recycling in sub-Saharan Africa. This launch took place at the Africa CEO forum in Kigali, Rwanda.
According to Ventures Africa, the Alliance covers various plastics and recycling value chains from manufacturing and processing to branding and recycling, a collaborative effort that seeks to improve living conditions by solving the problems associated with plastics.
APRA 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. The Alliance intends to achieve this through an intensive framework which targets sustainable solutions to achieve their common goal.
The companies involved in the plastic recycling alliance will facilitate and support their local subsidiaries to engage proactively in market level public-private partnerships, industry collaboration and alliances.
They will share knowledge, encourage innovation and collaborate on technical and other solutions appropriate for Sub-Saharan Africa as well as participate in local pilot initiatives.
Each APRA member has corporate level commitments, including previous initiatives geared towards transforming the plastics recycling infrastructure across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. They are signatories to global collective action – New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, under which they carry out developed initiatives and comprehensive plans.
Unilever projects that by 2050, it will achieve 100 per cent recyclable or reusable and 25 per cent recycled content. Also, the company plans to reduce packaging weight by one third by 2020. Meanwhile, Diageo plans to reduce total packaging weight by 15 per cent by 2020 and also increase recycled content to 100 per cent by 2030. Nestle, on the other hand, aims to make 100 per cent of its packaging reusable or recyclable by 2050. Coca-Cola plans to recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells globally by 2030, produce packaging that is 100 per cent recyclable by 2025 and to use at least 50 per cent recycled material in packaging by 2030.
The companies involved in the plastic recycling alliance will facilitate and support their local subsidiaries to engage proactively in market level public-private partnerships, industry collaboration and alliances.
They will share knowledge, encourage innovation and collaborate on technical and other solutions appropriate for Sub-Saharan Africa as well as participate in local pilot initiatives.
Each APRA member has corporate level commitments, including previous initiatives geared towards transforming the plastics recycling infrastructure across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. They are signatories to global collective action – New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, under which they carry out developed initiatives and comprehensive plans.
Unilever projects that by 2050, it will achieve 100 per cent recyclable or reusable and 25 per cent recycled content. Also, the company plans to reduce packaging weight by one third by 2020. Meanwhile, Diageo plans to reduce total packaging weight by 15 per cent by 2020 and also increase recycled content to 100 per cent by 2030. Nestle, on the other hand, aims to make 100 per cent of its packaging reusable or recyclable by 2050. Coca-Cola plans to recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells globally by 2030, produce packaging that is 100 per cent recyclable by 2025 and to use at least 50 per cent recycled material in packaging by 2030.
