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Tetra Pak, Naivas, And PAKPRO Launch Initiative To Encourage Responsible Disposal of Post-Consumer Waste

BY Soko Directory Team · October 5, 2024 11:10 am

Consumers are being urged to commit to responsible waste disposal to prevent environmental degradation and support the creation of green jobs.

Without significant changes in consumer behavior, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) estimates that Kenya could be generating over 500,000 metric tons of plastic waste annually by 2030, leading to a 40-60% increase in solid waste. This would mean daily waste could rise to approximately 35,000 tons if not properly managed.

At the launch of the Leta Carton Pack Ushinde Campaign by Tetra Pak, Naivas Supermarket, and the Packaging Producer Responsibility Organisation (PAKPRO) yesterday, Molu Wato, Head of Waste Management and Pollution Control at the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Forestry, emphasized the need for a strong and clear awareness campaign to effectively tackle our solid waste burden.

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‘As a country, we are transitioning from focusing solely on corporate responsibility to actively involving citizens in the fight against waste pollution. It is our collective duty to educate the public, as they are the most significant drivers of change in this agenda. This initiative marks an important step in encouraging greater responsibility among the public. Through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy, producers are held accountable, and with citizen support, we can achieve even greater impact. The Ministry is in the final stages of the EPR regulations process, marking a crucial milestone for our country, ‘added Mr Wato.

Additionally, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Enforcement Officer, Grace Ndanu Sila highlighted, ‘Empowering consumers to practice responsible waste disposal while incentivizing their active participation is a powerful step toward fostering a culture of accountability and community engagement. This initiative not only reflects producers meeting their legal obligations but also highlights their crucial role in driving the circular economy forward.’

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The Leta Carton Pack Ushinde Campaign is a consumer-focused initiative aimed at promoting better waste management practices across Kenya. The campaign seeks to educate the public on the importance of properly disposing of used beverage cartons, particularly Tetra Pak cartons, to support more sustainable waste management. By engaging directly with consumers, the campaign will provide clear guidance on how to dispose of these cartons correctly and why this is crucial for the environment. Additionally, it will highlight the exciting outcomes of recycling these materials, showing how used beverage cartons can be transformed into valuable products like furniture.

Jonathan Kinisu, Managing Director of Tetra Pak East Africa, reaffirmed the company’s dedication, saying, ‘In the spirit of the extended producer responsibility, shared across the value chain, Tetra Pak has been driving recycling of beverage cartons over the past decades, and we are committed to playing our part with concrete actions. Globally We are investing €100 million per year over the next 5 to 10 years to design packaging with a simplified material structure and increased paper content to make them even more appealing to recyclers, due to expanded amount of recoverable paper fibres. Locally we are working with our stakeholders to encourage awareness activities in waste collection and recycling.’

PAKPRO CEO, Joyce Gachugi Waweru, expressed optimism about the growing collaboration between manufacturers, producers, and retailers. ‘I am thrilled to see the industry come together with a shared focus on educating consumers about post-consumer waste management. This collaboration shows a strong willingness to work together with the government to change cultural misconceptions about waste and its value. This campaign is just the beginning of PAKPRO’s ongoing commitment to consumer awareness, helping us fulfill our mission of improving life for all Kenyans,’ concluded Ms Waweru.

The Leta Carton Pack Ushinde initiative will be active for three months in seven Naivas stores located at Greenspan Mall, Waterfront Karen, Kingara Greens, Juja City Mall, Ciata City Mall, Point Mall Buruburu, and Capital Center. During this period, consumers can return Used Beverage Cartons (Tetra Pak) and earn points redeemable for shopping vouchers.

Read Also: Tetra Pak And PAKPRO Launch A Project For The Recovery Of Post-Consumer Liquid Board Packaging

Soko Directory is a Financial and Markets digital portal that tracks brands, listed firms on the NSE, SMEs and trend setters in the markets eco-system. Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/SokoDirectory and on Twitter: twitter.com/SokoDirectory

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