THE government has urged the private sector to utilise opportunities in managing plastic waste, a move that will fast track Tanzania’s ongoing efforts to attain the target Number 12 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office (Union Affairs and Environment) Dr Selemani Jafo made the challenge during the launch of the Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Recycle Company (T) Ltd (PETCO) in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.
The company is formed by eight partners and it is aimed at boosting plastic collection and recycling in continued efforts to conserve environment.
Minister Jafo called on other corporates to join the founding partners, who include A-One Products & Bottles Ltd (MeTL), Coca Cola Kwanza Ltd, SBC Tanzania Ltd (Pepsi), Nyanza Bottling Co. Ltd, Bonite Bottlers Ltd, Sayona Drink, Cool Blue Pure Drinking Water and Silafrica Ltd in making this a lifetime process.
He said the companies decided to take extended producer responsibility for the plastic that they produce.
“You have proven to be responsible corporates and the government fully supports the initiative and will work closely with PETCO to ensure this programme is well executed for the well-being of our environment,” he said.
“We will continue working hand in hand to ensure the objectives are met and NEMC will play an oversight role to ensure smooth execution of the entire processes,” he said.
He said the new move will create over 5,000 jobs per year, hence a boost to the economy as the different stages of PET recycling will require different individuals to handle the processes.
PETCO Board Chairman, Mr Unguu Sulay said the founding members have already injected over 100,000 US dollars (about 232.8m/-) towards the project.
“The funds will be used for ongoing consumer and public education, awareness activities to promote environmental responsibility, and encourage PET collection and recycling,” he said.
Mr Sulay said that annually 25 million tonnes of plastic are produced and the aim is to recycle and re-use 12.5million tonnes in which the process will make plastic more valuable, create employment and attract investors in the country.
“Apart from cleaning the environment, this will also create job opportunities for the youth and attract investors which will in turn add to the country’s revenue,” noted Mr Sulay.
He said as manufacturers, importers or dealers in PET products and packaging, they are responsible for such products after their useful life.
“The PET plastics industry acknowledges that the convenience and life-saving qualities of plastics aside, a solution for post-consumer plastic packaging is critical in order to minimise its impact on the environment.
According to the chairman, the process will involve raw material producers, converters, brand owners, retailers, consumers, and recyclers with PETCO fulfilling the PET industry’s’ role of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which encourages the incorporation of environmental costs associated with PET products throughout their life cycles into product market costs and shifts responsibility for used containers from government to private industry.
Mr Sulay said PETCO will be responsible for recruiting recyclers and subsidizing recycling through contracts for all PET recycled in the country; developing new high-value end-uses for reusable plastics (rPET); administering a resin levy to fund collection and recycling targets; training and empowering collectors; and promoting PET collection and recycling.
The launch event was also witnessed by the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) President Leodegar Tenga and other environmental stakeholders.
National Environment Management Council (NEMC) official Dr Menan Jangu, who represented the council’s Director General Dr Eng Samuel Mafwenga. He was glad to see companies in the private sector taking responsibility for the plastic they produce for the safety of the environment and the people.
Dr Jafo gave directives to NEMC to ensure that they organise a meeting for all plastic producing companies in the country in the first week of August so as to plan and make sure they commit to keeping the environment clean by recycling their products.