KENYA – The Kenya PET Recycling Company Limited, (PETCO Kenya) has transitioned to Packaging Producer Responsibility Organization (PAKPRO) in a bid to accelerate recycling of all non-hazardous packaging materials in the country.
The transition from PETCO to PAKPRO® marked a proactive step towards establishing a mandatory EPR for category one products and packaging and committing to offer a much more comprehensive and sustainable approach to packaging waste management.
The transition demonstrated the commitment of the industry to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of packaging materials.
It is desired that PAKPRO® will contribute to a cleaner environment, reducing plastic pollution, and creating a circular economy.
Moreover, it will foster innovation and drive the growth of sustainable packaging solutions, opening up new markets and business prospects.
Mr. John Kabuye, CEO of BESIC Group, representing KEPSA during the launch of PAKPRO said; “Packaging plays a crucial role in our modern society, ensuring the safe transportation and preservation of products.
“KEPSA is pleased to have worked with Kenya PET Company- PETCO as the first voluntary Producer Responsibility Organization under the P4G Partnership for New Plastics Economy with the pilot area being Nyayo Embakasi Estate.
“We indeed have realized major transformation in effecting segregation at source and demonstrating the role of PROS in a circular economy by providing material flow linkage of PROs to citizens, waste service providers and recyclers.”
The EPR regulations propose there are five categories that each producer will be required to join a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), which will undertake several activities on behalf of the producer to ensure their packaging does not affect the environment.
These activities include recovery, collection, sorting, recycling, and treatment.
The Packaging Producer Responsibility Organization has been actively involved in the development of various policies and pieces of legislation to spur the growth of a circular economy in the country.
The Sustainable Waste Management Act, 2022, the Extended Producer Responsibility regulations (Draft) and the Extended Producer Responsibility guidelines all seek to ensure that producers of PAKPRO have held consultative engagements with various stakeholders, including the government, industry players, recyclers, collectors and developed a model that seeks to address the challenges in the existing value chains for various materials.
Through the County Sustainable Waste Management Implementation Program it seeks to establish material transfer stations across all 47 counties to recover recyclables as well as offering bottom of the pyramid collectors direct access to market for their collections, at a fair price.
PAKPRO commits to improving awareness by increasing educational activities among the Kenyan public on issues related to segregation and collection.
In addition, the scheme will be implementing a model for value chain support to stimulate collection and increase consumptive demand for recycled products.
Its offering covers packaging made from PET plastics, all Rigid and Flexible plastics, Liquid Board Packaging, Glass, Paper, Cardboard, Aluminum, Tin, Steel and Composites.
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