Tetra Pak East Africa and The Packaging Producer Responsibility Organisation (PAKPRO) launch their kick start project for the recovery of post-consumer Liquid Board Packaging

Tuesday, 26th September 2023, Nairobi: Tetrapak East Africa in partnership with the Packaging Producer Responsibility Organization (PAKPRO) has launched a kick-start project to recover used beverage cartons in the country. The partnership brings together two recyclers of liquid board packaging – Ramani Warehouse Limited (Thika) and Ekotech Limited (Nairobi) where collectors, aggregators can sell recovered used beverage cartons. The Project targets to recover 1,500 metric tonnes of used beverage cartons which accounts for 30% of the produced liquid board packaging in the country. 

The kick start project seeks to create value for post-consumer liquid board packaging that will increase the economic opportunities for collectors and aggregators in the waste recovery sector.

Following the gazettement of the Sustainable Waste Management Act, 2022 and operationalization of Section 13 of the Act, which directs all producers to implement mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations to prevent pollution from their post-consumer products or by waste arising therefrom, this project kicks off implementation of EPR for liquid board packaging in the country.

Speaking at the contract signing ceremony with the two recycling partners, Jonathan Kinisu, Tetra Pak East Africa Managing Director, stated,  ‘In alignment with EPR regulations and the Waste Management Act we are taking a lead role in supporting the collection & recycling value chain. We are working closely with our recyclers and together with  PAKPRO  to create consumer awareness and increase the recycling volume.’

This project will be executed in partnership with the Packaging Producer Responsibility Organisation (PAKPRO), which is a Producer Responsibility Organisation that supports recycling value chains in Kenya.

Also at the launch of PAKPRO Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Joyce Gachugi-Waweru noted, ‘As Kenya ushers Mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility on November 1st, 2023, this kick start project will serve as a catalyst to the recovery of post-consumer liquid board packaging (LBP). Tetrapak has been committed to ensuring that post-consumer liquid board packaging is not only recovered and recycled but that the livelihoods supported by the recovery are getting their fair price. We look forward to strengthening the post-consumer consumer value chain to ensure optimal recovery of LBP in the country.’

This initiative will kick start in Nairobi, Kajiado, Nakuru, and Kiambu counties, and it will involve providing capacity building to collectors and aggregators, registeration of participating value chain players and deployment of collectiom infrastructure in startegic locations. 

Tetra Pak and PAKPRO will also collaborate to improve awareness by increasing educational activities among the Kenyan public on issues related to segregation and collection. As well as, actively engaging all stakeholders, including the government, PROs, collectors, and recyclers to ensure that the circularity of UBCs is achieved.