In response to new laws in East Africa and restrictions in China, Coca-Cola aims to recycle each bottle it manufactures by 2030, starting with the goal of recycling one-quarter of those bottles by the end of this year.
The beverage giant also has plans to open a recycling plant in Kenya, and already operates one in Uganda, where bottles from all over the region, including South Sudan and Rwanda, are recycled.
China had been a big buyer of plastic waste for recycling — but Beijing recently restricted imports of certain waste products due to environmental concerns.
This coupled with new laws in Africa itself, such as Kenya’s ban on plastic bags, mean that manufacturers are looking for more effective alternatives to previous recycling methods.
Some observers expect legislation against plastic bottles may be next.
Sources: Africa News, Afrik21