By Ijeoma UKAZU
The Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA) in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), recently held a seminar to train recyclers and manufacturers of plastics in Abuja.
The seminar was aimed to raise awareness for promoting sustainable plastic value chains through circular economy practices for recyclers projects in Abuja.
The essence of this collaboration is to contribute to Nigeria’s inclusive and sustainable industrial development and to reduce leakage of plastics into the environment.
This becomes necessary because the problem of plastic pollution has continued to grow in tandem with the increase in the use of plastics, necessitating the application of measures to help mitigate the problem by ensuring a circular economy.
One of such measures is the awareness raising seminar targeted towards promoting circular economy principles and practices to ensure resource efficient production for plastic value chains in Nigeria.
Participants in the training included
relevant stakeholders across the plastic value chain in Abuja and other states in northern Nigeria.
Also in attendance were representatives from FBRA’s member-companies, plastic waste value players, waste pickers, collectors, aggregators, recyclers and off-takers.
Representatives from UNIDO, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), and the Federal Ministry of Environment were also present.
Amongst topics discussed during the technical sessions are Resource Efficient, Cleaner Production and its Benefits, Circular Economy, and Plastic Packaging.
Nishio Nahomi, the UNIDO Project Manager, emphasised the importance of promoting sustainable plastic value chains through circular economy practices for recyclers project for Nigeria.
Recommendations include the demonstration of circular economy through resource efficiency and cleaner production (RECP) assessments, adoption of innovative technology and partnership with pilot companies committed to exploring Japanese improvement options.
Mr. Chukwudi Nwabuisiaku, Assistant Director, Plastics Waste Control at NESREA, spoke on the need to adopt circularity within the plastic value chain.
He also reassured the participants of the NESREA’s unwavering support for the success of promoting sustainable plastic value chains Through Circular Economy Practices for recyclers project.
Participants expressed their appreciation of the training and the impact it would have on their businesses.
A representative of Boskel Nigeria Limited thanked FBRA for such an initiative and expressed eagerness to incorporate the new knowledge in his business.
Rounding off the event, Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Lead for Nestlé Nigeria Plc, a founding member company of FBRA, thanked everyone present and encouraged participants to continue to strive towards achieving the end goal, which is plastics.