Unilever and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste announce collaboration to advance plastic waste management in Sub-Saharan Africa
South Africa, 17 September 2024: To enhance the collection, management, and recycling of waste in South Africa and the wider Sub-Saharan region, the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (the “Alliance”) and Unilever have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore a joint effort to tackle the region’s plastic waste challenge.
The MoU was officially signed on 17 September 2024, in Cape Town, South Africa. Attended by Yase Godlo, Manager for Sustainability and Partnerships (Southern Africa) at Unilever South Africa , and Justin Wood, VP and Head of EMEA at the Alliance, the official announcement took place on the sidelines of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) World Congress.
Every year, approximately 3.67 million tonnes1 of waste in South Africa remain uncollected and untreated by formal waste systems , resulting in a large amount being dumped illegally.
As part of the agreement, the two organisations will jointly explore the co-development of innovative solutions for plastic waste management projects and identify funding opportunities to advance a circular economy for plastics in South Africa and the sub-Saharan region. The projects may also include other partners including Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), development finance institutions and commercial lenders.
The collaboration aims to bring stakeholders from across the plastic value chain together, marking a key step towards supporting a systems change for the plastic waste challenge at a national level in South Africa.
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