Kenyan recyclers to provide baling innovation to boost waste management

Dec 10, 2023

Kenya PET Recycling Company Ltd. (PETCO Kenya), a parentorganisation of the recyclers of PET bottles and containers, has contractedlocal firms to produce balers to ease collection, packaging and transport ofwaste PET bottles.

Joyce Gachugi, Country Programme Manager of PETCO, said thiswhile speaking in Nairobi when the recycler signed a partnership contract withIndustrial Area-based PET bottle collector firm, Karsam.

Gachugi said that the baling innovation would boost effortstowards proper waste management by increasing capacity for PET collectorsacross the country.

"The bailers will compact the PET waste bottles intomanageable bulks further making them easier to handle and transport," Gachugisaid.

Gachugi also said that he had ordered more baler machinesfrom China to further boost the innovative solutions of baling post-consumerPET plastics.

"We have placed an order from China to complement the onesthat we already have, and we expect delivery for the first batch in August thisyear," she said in Athi River.

Gachugi was speaking in Nairobi when the recycler signed apartnership contract with Industrial Area-based PET bottle collector firmKarsam.

According to Gachugi, PETCO which has a factory in AthiRiver, about 40 km east of Nairobi, has also ordered more baler machines fromChina to further boost the innovative solutions of baling post-consumer PETplastics.

Karsam's director Denis Gacau said the firm would provideemployment opportunities to the youth by putting up collection centres incounties.

"We intend to put up two collection centres in each countyand target to collect an average of 200 tonnes of PET bottles every month, thiswill offer a solution to the challenge posed by post-consumer PET bottles," hesaid.

John Waithaka, PETCO Kenya's chairman, said the company waslooking forward to partnering with other recyclers organisations to realise thegoal of making all plastics recyclable by 2030.

And also, it will cut down single-use of plastics in a wayto promote use of recycled plastic micro-plastics.

"PETCO will provide a price subsidy of 5 shillings (about0.05 dollars) per kilogram of PET bottles collected and recycled by Karsam.

"We shall also be extending the same in levies and grants toupcoming collectors, this is an incentive to bring more partners into thebusiness," said the chairman.