March 29, 2024

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Rwanda Launches Plastic Wastes-Web portal to ease access to wastes data and Wastes Market

Anna Wilson, the Development Director at the British High Commission in Kigali

By Ange de la Victoire DUSABEMUNGU

On Wednesday, 30 March 2022, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Rwanda in partnership with the UK High Commission in Kigali launched a web portal that will help Rwanda to generate better data on plastic wastes, the different types of quantities, the location of plastic wastes, and to make these data accessible to all which is a fundamental step to encourage more circular Waste Solutions.

Speaking at the launching eventAnna Wilson, the Development Director at the British High Commission in Kigali said that “By providing these better data on plastics, the portal will also help with the implementation of an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme, which the UK is supporting Rwanda to design through the UK’s manufacturing Africa programme.”

The EPR schemes are based on a polluter pays principle where companies put plastic packaging on the market and pay a fee, which will go towards waste collection, sorting and recycling and this scheme builds on existing regulations as well as a pilot project that Rwanda leads with the private sector federation.

“So, I’d like to issue a big thanks to GGGI and the Save Environment Initiative and the cleaner production and climate Innovation Centre for their work in setting up the portal and leading the data collection.” Ms Anna said

Helena McLeod, the Deputy Director General and head of green growth planning and implementation Division at the Global Green Growth Institute at the headquarters in Seoul, South Korea said that “Rwanda is a country very close to my heart I’ve visited many times before and I’ve always been so impressed by what has been achieved in in terms of waste management and the leadership of the government has been so impressive, but also the participation of the community as well.”

She added that plastic, of course, “is something that is so useful, and we use it for so many things. But it’s also become such a big problem in so many countries.”

“I’ve lived in Africa for many years, and I’ve worked in many countries in Africa, and Africa has some of the most outstanding countryside and landscapes. But I’ve seen over the last two decades, this encroachment of wastes, which affects the infrastructure

In terms of looking at these alternatives, like the biodegradable alternatives, there’s also an urgent need to increase the processing capacity to sustainably manage, reuse and recycle plastic waste, especially in the cities. “Noted Ms Helena.

Helena McLeod, the Deputy Director General and head of green growth planning and implementation Division at the Global Green Growth Institute

She emphasized that Plastic waste is expected to continue to increase globally and so a concerted global effort is needed to increase accountability, address the sources of plastic pollution and maximise the benefits of circularity by incentivizing the reuse and recycling of discarded plastic, and in particular, reducing the amount of single use plastic we use.

“So, this web portal launched today is GGGI’s very modest contribution towards increasing opportunities for circularity. By ensuring waste producers are able to connect to waste recyclers, the accounting and tracking of plastic waste is one small step toward an effort to reduce the amount of plastic waste sent to landfill.” She said,

To increase accountability for plastic pollution, and to promote a change in mindset and behaviour need to recognise the real cost and value of waste.

According to Sylvie Mugabekazi, from the cleaner production and climate Innovation Centre, there are some challenges in plastic waste recycling that need to be tackled in a concerted effort.

She said “Sometime the market is not ready to consume products that are recycled. So, they need also to see those advantages being in the way of giving back to the environment, because they are reducing the generation of waste.”

At least 40 Women in Gahanga have been employed in Plastic Recycling Business

“So, there is also an opportunity to create interest and awareness in the community. There is also the hesitant company culture where companies are not yet ready to invest in recycling research and development for their product and in the design of their product among others.” Mugabekazi revealed.

“Another one is the economic barrier and access to finance because sometimes recycling environmental services are very expensive and sometimes, they don’t pay back. This is an opportunity for economists and other business people to look at ways of making it viable, making it profitable so that we have other start-ups and people tackling the challenge that we’re having with waste management.” Adds Mugabekazi.

Presenting the Web portal, Joseph Gaga web developer explained that “On the homepage, when someone visits the plastic waste web portal, there’s a search option so you can search on any particular plastic waste you could be looking for. But also, you can also browse on the map to identify the different locations of that particular waste. This content can be provided by recycling companies, or people who provide waste … and also, people who need waste can be able to indicate what they need. “

“So, when you visit the portal, we have a dashboard, we go through the different sections of the portal, we have a map, we have offers, that means people who have waste and have it for sale, we have requests from people who need wastes, then we have FAQs, and then about a description about the portal itself and then we have a login.” Gaga explained.

“When you scroll down, you are able to browse the map of the different offers so you can see the offer, the plastic that’s available, the kinds of plastic, the amount stored, the location, the phone number, so, if you’re interested in particular waste, you can be able to contact this person by email or by phone.” Said the Web developer.

Hopefully this portal will help for increasing investment, but also for plastic waste that can be better valorised in different parts of the country, said Michelle DeFreese, Senior Officer at Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Rwanda.

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1 thought on “Rwanda Launches Plastic Wastes-Web portal to ease access to wastes data and Wastes Market

  1. That’s impressive To have plastic wastes portal.

    We needed Rwanda plastic waste coalition.

    We at CAPws (Community Action Against Plastic Wastes) a youth-led organization that works for environmental sustainability.

    We have collected more than 10 tons of plastic waste here in Rulindo.

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