Kenya PET recycling company (PETCO) in partnership with the County Government of Kajiado and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has launched a material collection facility in Kajiado county that will ease waste collection and segregation.
The segregation, pelleting facility sponsored by PETCO Kenya was built at a cost of KES 50 million to help the county manage its burgeoning waste material by processing up to 10 tonnes of PET per day. The plant has created employment for 100 locals who receive and sort the PET from various collectors as well as manage the equipment that crush them into pellets.
The facility is a brainchild of a local organization called Taka Taka ni Mali Corporative Society, and the County Government of Kajiado through the first lady H.E. Edna Lenku. It seeks to ensure environmental sustainability while offering employment opportunity for youth in the county.
PETCO Kenya works with 14 partners to mop-up plastic bottles across the country through initiating and growing waste collection and segregation centers. These centers have developed into important innovation facilities as they produce useful items from the waste collected and segregated. Some of the partners include; Coca-Cola Beverages Africa Limited, Kevian Kenya Limited, Unilever Kenya Limited, and Naivas Limited.
As businesses continue to open following the Covid-19 closures, Coca-Cola through the open Like Never Before initiative partners will support the waste collectors in managing a safe work environment and facilitate in business sustainability.
PETCO on its part, continues to support this business through training and facilitating segregation of material, recovery of recyclable material reduction of waste going to the dumpsite, creation of employment improved health standards by ensuring that the waste traders understand the importance of proper health management even as they work in the sector by providing PPEs.
PETCO Chairman, David Olang, had this to say, “We are very pleased to launch this important facility that will not only offer environmental sustainability to this county but also offer job opportunities to the youth through our enterprise initiative dubbed “Taka ni Mali”. We believe in the collective Extended Producer responsibility. Some of our partners such as Coca-Cola Beverage Africa Limited, committed to make all its packaging 100% recyclable by 2025 and use 50% recycled material in their bottles and cans by 2030.”