PETCO Kenya and World Wide Fund Kenya (WWF) have partnered in an agreement worth Ksh. 6 million to enhanced waste collection in the coastal region.
The partnership agreement will provide technology transfer from Denmark through a partnership with Plastix, a Danish cleantech recycling company. This will be implemented by partnering with Kenyan organizations in the waste management sector.
The partnership also includes a donation of collection infrastructure support and training worth Ksh. 6 million to over 800 waste reclaimers. This will go a long way in enhancing waste collection and creating a safe working environment in the sector.
“Our focus is to rid-off plastic waste in the Coastal region, create a safe working space and support the efforts by WWF in cleaning up the city, beaches and rivers. This initiative is vital as it complements our focus to support and economically empower local collectors and aggregators in plastic waste management,” Said PETCO Kenya Country Manager, Joyce Gachugi.
The waste management program will run through the coastal counties of Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi and Lamu. This will in turn increase the amount of plastic collected, sorted and processed to high quality granulate, while simultaneously attracting more investment as a long-term business model in the Coastal region.
Recyclers within affected communities will get the required training, waste collection gear, and entrepreneurial skills to upscale their waste collection ventures to profitability.
With the WWF partnership, the waste to value program is getting into innovative engagement with three other pioneering private sector recycling agents. They include Plastix, Jil plastics and Kwale Plastic Plus Collectors (KPPC), who came together to combat the challenges of plastic pollution within the Coastal region.
“As a measure to promote circular plastic economy the partnership between Petco Kenya, WWF Kenya and the local community organizations will work towards establishing an international plastic recycling value chain built on sustainable practices by connecting collectors, sorters and processors to high-end and innovative plastic recycling expertise and technology,” added Nancy Githaiga, Head of Conservation Programs, WWF Kenya.