Dow and Mr. Green Africa expand partnership to tackle plastic waste in Kenya

Dow (NYSE: DOW) has announced the extension of its partnership with innovative recycling company, Mr. Green Africa, to help fight the plastic waste challenge in Kenya and advance a circular economy for plastics in Africa.

The partnership was officially launched in November 2019 during Dow’s Project Butterfly™ event in Nairobi, Kenya to raise awareness of the plastic waste issue, influence positive behaviour and invest in solutions in waste disposal and recycling initiatives. 

So far, the collaboration has enabled Dow and Mr. Green Africa to drive positive change in communities in Kenya where a lack of waste infrastructure has led to plastic waste ending up in rivers and informal dumps, as well as creating a market for flexible plastic packaging which has enabled an additional source of income for workers in the informal waste sector.

The partnership has not only created a new market for flexible plastic waste, it has made sorting materials more effective in the region. It is estimated that approximately 30 Metric Tons (MT) of flexible plastic waste - which would not have been collected previously as it is deemed harder to recycle due to it being a more complex material than rigid plastic - is now processed through Dow and Mr. Green Africa’s waste stream every 2 months in Kenya.

The second phase of the partnership marks an important advancement in ending the inequalities in recycling infrastructure in Kenya and will see Dow and Mr. Green Africa look to bring on a brand owner partner to close the loop, by enabling the use of the recyclable flexible packaging in a new packaging application and the unrecyclable portions in innovative end-uses.

Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project pivoted to using technology to enable residential collection via a brand-new app which has been developed by Dow’s technical team and is being deployed locally by Mr. Green Africa. Through the app, consumers can sort and separate the plastic waste in their homes more effectively, before scheduling it to be collected by Mr. Green Africa from their doorstep who will then process it through the plastic recycling system. The app has been successfully piloted in several households in Nairobi, so far, with plans to roll it out further in 20

21.

Adwoa Coleman, Dow’s Africa Sustainability and Advocacy Manager for Packaging and Specialty Plastics commented: “We strongly believe that plastic is too valuable a resource to be thrown away or lost to landfill. And by taking a leadership role and collaborating with organisations like Mr. Green Africa, that are already supporting local waste management infrastructure, we can make significant strides in addressing the plastics challenge in Africa.”

“We are delighted to have extended this partnership and excited for our future collaborations in Kenya and beyond. By helping ensure we move towards a circular economy for plastics we can move to a world in which the practical and social benefits of plastic are matched by its environmental performance.”