Swiss Partners
Foundation Fair Recycling, Zurich
fair-recycling.com
Marianne Naeff
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Documentation
Swiss Contribution
The Foundation Fair Recycling is mandator and supervisor of the plastic recycling section of the Liberian company Green Cities. Some Swiss experts are involved who provide support in technical and strategical questions of waste recycling.
Description
The “Plastic Recycling Project” contributes to a relevant and sustainable waste management in Liberia in cooperation with the local population of Monrovia. Due to the lack of drinking water access, a lot of water bags are used, which generates a big amount of plastic waste. The Liberian partner, Green Cities, has made it its duty to recycle and reuse this waste and other plastics profitably in the densely populated communities; thus, creating a new market for waste products. At the same time, jobs are created for young adults as well as income opportunities for the community inhabitants collecting the waste. Activities within the project focus on mechanization of the recycling chain, on raising awareness in reduction, reuse and recycling, as well as on making the social business of Green Cities financially self-sustaining.
Results
By the time the project was completed, the entire infrastructure for plastic waste collection, separation and processing had been built, as well as the installation of the production facility for manufacturing natural rubber milk collection cups and geometry sets. The production line consists of a shredder for hard plastic, a washing line for plastic films and a production machine for the plastic products. Furthermore, a storage capacity for more than 50 tonnes of processed plastic was realised. Additionally, the existing collection and recycling centre was supplemented by five new collection points in Monrovia’s outskirts.
Impacts
This REPIC project directly trained 50 young people and created around 75 new jobs. In addition, Green Cities has trained another 100 people and created 75 jobs in the REPIC project’s vicinity. Green Cities collected and separated 250 tonnes of waste and processed 25 tonnes of plastic in total during the project. From 8.5 tonnes of waste plastic, 13,453 geometry sets and 97,856 natural rubber milk collection cups were produced. This sums up to 131 tonnes of CO2 being saved. Due to the excellent networking of those responsible for the project, the approach’s multiplication has already been discussed with representatives of five cities, which includes Buchanan, Paynesville, Ganta, Kakata, Gbarnga; whereby the implementation in Buchanan and Paynesville will be tackled first.