In Nigeria, the brewer Nigerian Breweries wants to recycle the plastic waste it contributes to the environment. The company is launching the “NB Recycles” initiative. Initially, nine collection points will be set up across Nigeria to encourage the brewing company’s staff and the Nigerian population to opt for responsible disposal of plastic waste in return for a fee.
Read Also –
Wecyclers, which is collaborating with the Nigerian Breweries, will collect the plastic waste with its 120 employees who will travel around the neighbourhoods on tricycles. The Lagos-based start-up will then sort and recycle the plastic waste. Through this initiative, Nigerian Breweries also hopes to demonstrate to Nigerians that waste has value. Hans Essaadi, the company’s managing director, says that his company produces 5% of Nigeria’s plastic waste. According to the World Economic Forum, in 2018 Nigeria dumped about 200,000 tonnes of plastic waste into the ocean per year, while its annual plastic production is expected to reach 523,000 tonnes by 2022.
Reducing its environmental impact
The NB Recycles initiative is part of Nigerian Breweries’ sustainable development programme, called ‘Brew a Better World’ (BaBW). The initiative is aimed at conserving water resources, reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and sourcing raw materials in a sustainable manner.
Read Also – AFRICA: the circular economy at the heart of ecosystem preservation
“Prior to the NB Recycles project, we launched the Food and Beverages Recycling Alliance (FBRA) recycling initiative, which aims to create a circular economy through the recycling of plastic waste,” says Hans Essaadi. For the record, Nigerian Breweries is owned by Heineken Brouwerijen B.V (37.73%), Distilled Trading International BV (16.36%), Stanbic Nominees Nigeria Limited (15.53%). The remaining shares (30.38%) are held by other individuals and institutions. Nigerian Breweries joins a long list of private companies supporting plastic waste recycling in Nigeria.
Ines Magoum