The FlipFlopi Project’s Post

Part 4 The last mile in the fight against plastic pollution through EPR-PROs -reaching the unreached starting with the furthest first in the plastic waste management value chain My interaction with waste enterprises and entrepreneurs vertically and horizontally localized in different works stations across the waste value chain is a learning curve every day in the journey of developing tailored solutions for each layers of challenges..... In this journey of plastic waste management - informal circular economy enterprises and entrepreneurs have to be treated as equal partners with equal sharing (funding, technical support ….) in the adoption of circularized economy and realization of sustainable waste management in Kenya. If concerns raised by informal circular economy enterprises and entrepreneurs are not addressed holistically (and not selectively) upstream and downstream …… thereof integrating informal waste actors into formal value chain escalate ; predatory business behaviors /relationships, greenwashing, unstainable incomes, and  decrease post consumer plastic waste collection (inclusive E-waste plastics) etc Sam Dindi, HSC Dennis Otieno Benard Ogembo Piotr Barczak Zablon Wanyama Wekesa Eng. Allen M Kimambo Wambui Mbuthia Ebenezer Amadi Alex Kubasu Richard Kainika Alex Musembi Africa Collect Textiles Gisore Nyabuti Vera Kloettschen Jan Patrick Schulz Practical Action in Kenya Alfred Osiko Dr. Daniel Mutegi Giti, PhD Tajiel Urioh Muhammad Iqbal

We are making significant strides in reducing carbon emissions through our PET plastic recycling efforts! From January to May, we collected and recycled: 📊 January: 70,484 kgs 📊 February: 114,037 kgs 📊 March: 140,465 kgs 📊 April: 153,853 kgs 📊 May: 133,607 kgs This translates to a total of over 612,446 kgs of PET plastic waste collected in that period, preventing approximately 1,200 tons of CO₂ emissions from entering the atmosphere, this reduction show the positive impact that our company has on the environment. We are transparent in our activities as we aim to scale up our operations #Plasticrecycling #Sustainability #SDGs #GreenBusiness #CircularEconomy African Circular Economy Network (ACEN) | Hand in Hand Eastern Africa | Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC)

In a small mountain village in Buzău County, Romania, a recycling initiative is turning plastic waste into useful household items such as clothespins, plant pots, bricks, and combs. Centered around a 'plastic mill'—a facility that repurposes PET bottles—this project revitalizes a community using a building that was once a school but was abandoned due to population decline. Despite some initial resistance, the project has gradually gained acceptance. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gNPsu-rf 👋 Georgiana Dragomir, Vasile N. Lazar, Alin Tiplic, Elena-Simina Lakatos, Bogdan Ibanescu, Andreea-Loredana Bîrgovan, Mircea Florentin Vlad, Liliana Topliceanu This effort showcases local ingenuity in tackling environmental challenges. Currently, Romania only recycles 11% of its waste, with the remainder ending up in landfills—a situation that led to a €1.5 million fine from the EU for non-compliance with waste directives. It is crucial to spotlight such initiatives, especially considering the progress Romania has made in closing and rehabilitating 92 landfills, with plans to address more by 2026-2028. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/grjtUbSz

Earlier this month, I shared news of the launch the Circle Alliance, the new public-private partnership to catalyze inclusive, resilient and circular local economies. This is a new flagship collaboration under the Save Our Seas Initiative, a global initiative to combat ocean plastic pollution. Today, USAID released the 2023-24 annual report on the Save Our Seas Initiative. It highlights new partnerships and programs to fight ocean plastics in India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Kenya, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. Additionally, over the past two years the initiative has:  ➡ Prevented the equivalent of more than 127 billion plastic bottles (1.2 million metric tons of plastic) from polluting our environment. ➡ Strengthened the capacity of 31 cities to reduce, reuse, recycle (3Rs) and manage solid waste. ➡ Improved solid waste services for 11.3 million people. ➡ Catalyzed $138 million of private sector and public funding commitments for solid waste management and recycling.

A step towards sustainability

In Multan, a young innovator is transforming plastic waste into bricks, addressing the massive plastic waste problem in Pakistan. With 3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually discarded, the initiative aims to repurpose this material into eco-friendly, cost-effective, and durable bricks. By utilizing waste that typically ends up in landfills or water bodies. This project not only offers a sustainable alternative but also highlights the potential of recycling in reducing environmental impact. https://lnkd.in/d96k-pCu

In Multan, a young innovator is transforming plastic waste into bricks, addressing the massive plastic waste problem in Pakistan. With 3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually discarded, the initiative aims to repurpose this material into eco-friendly, cost-effective, and durable bricks. By utilizing waste that typically ends up in landfills or water bodies. This project not only offers a sustainable alternative but also highlights the potential of recycling in reducing environmental impact. https://lnkd.in/d96k-pCu

Plastic Credit in Vietnam - Part 2: #Economic growth, urbanization, and changing lifestyles in Vietnam have increased solid waste. In urban areas, an estimated 10–15% of waste is uncollected, in rural areas, this rises to 45–60%. Also, only 10% of waste is recovered through recycling or reuse (MONRE 2020). #The situation is urgent: domestic solid waste generated nationwide averages 64,500 tons/day (23.5 million tons/year), and 71% is dumped in landfills, most of which are not sanitary landfills (MONRE 2020). #Vietnam is one of the major polluters of the world’s #oceans. Annually, about 2.8 to 3.1 million tons of plastic waste are discharged on land in Vietnam. Vietnam is also mentioned as one of the countries with the highest level of mismanaged plastic waste generated by its coastal population (Law et al. 2020). #According to the World Bank, plastic waste was by far the most abundant type of waste collected in the field surveys (around 94% in the number of items; and around 71% by weight). #Take-away #food packaging waste was the most abundant source of plastic waste found in the field surveys (44% in number), followed by fisheries-related waste (33% in number), and household-related waste (22% in number). #The Clean Coast Index (CCI) measurement, which is a tool to assess relative coastal cleanliness, showed that 71% of the coastal sites surveyed were foul (a CCI of more than 20) and 86% were extremely dirty or dirty (a CCI of more than 10). #There is an estimated financing gap of USD 28–40 per ton for plastic waste collection services and a gap of USD 24–40 per ton across plastic recycling value chains in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and China. #To improve manage of plastic waste, Vietnam has been conducting many solutions as well as improving the legal framework for instance, Vietnam established and enacted Decree No. 08/2022/ND-CD, providing a detailed rule for EPR, in which: #Articles 77–86 of the Decree provide detailed rules on recycling discarded products and packaging materials under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme as stipulated in Articles 54 and 55 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020. The Decree sets out a list of regulated products and compulsory recycling rates, provides for rules on the Environmental Protection Fund, producers’ obligations to formulate recycling plans, disclose product information, and report recycling performance. #Plastic crediting is not explicitly mentioned in the EPR legislation in Vietnam. Plastic credits are one method obligated entities can use to meet compliance requirements to finance third-party services. At the enterprise level, Vietnam has applied Crediting programs such as OBP Neutralization Certification, PCX Solutions PPRS, and BVRio CCM to improve plastic waste management and increase the effectiveness of plastic used in production and consumption.  Read the full report: https://bit.ly/4fPHXHW Vietnam : Plastic Pollution Diagnostics (worldbank.org)

Check out this interview with Christian Kaufholz minutes after our Plastic Loop Event "Methane Mission: Innovating Waste Management for Plastic Crisis". Christian tells us about the Global Plastic Action Partnership during our Plastic Loops event at Climate Week NYC. He highlighted the vital role of waste pickers in tackling the global plastic crisis. With support from the UK government, over 11,000 workers in countries like Colombia, Brazil, and Ghana are being empowered through skills training, safety education, and community engagement. A key focus of the event was the recognition of waste pickers, who reclaim recyclable materials from waste streams across the globe. Over 35 million people, or 1% of the global urban population, work informally in the waste sector, transforming discarded materials into economic opportunities. As one speaker noted, “Where others see trash, waste pickers see opportunity.” This approach not only strengthens local waste management systems but also drives economic growth, placing waste pickers at the core of sustainable solutions. Join the conversation on how we can better support waste pickers and create more sustainable waste management systems. Let’s work together to amplify their impact and create a circular economy that benefits everyone! #ClimateWeekNYC #Sustainability #WastePickers #CircularEconomy #PlasticCrisis #GlobalPlasticAction #EconomicGrowth #ActNow #AmbitionLoop #MethaneMission

Listen to Josephine Wawira of Kenya Plastics Pact (KPP) as she underscores the essence of individual responsibility in sustainable waste management.  From producers designing for recyclability to consumers embracing eco-friendly practices, every individual's role is crucial.  Learn more on the impactful collaboration between KPP and KEPRO, fostering a shared commitment to a sustainable and waste-responsible future. Watch the video now to explore how we all contribute to a greener planet. #KEPROinAction #KEPROcares #KEPROImpact #KPP