In a country like Nigeria, where about 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste is disposed every year, recycling activities are not very popular and necessary equipment are not readily available so it’s not hard to imagine why we have a massive waste disposable problem on our hands.
Does anyone wonder where all the plastic on the streets ends up? Sitting by most watersides in Lagos, it is easy to sniff them out. Water in the surrounding Lagos metropolis is suffocated by plastic waste, sewages are blocked, thereby causing flooding and erosion in less urban areas. Without an effective waste management system, it is only a matter of time before we are faced with the consequences in epic proportions.
For this reason, The Coca-Cola Foundation, through the Recycling Scheme for Women and Youth Empowerment (RESWAYE), has been able to create an enabling and supportive platform for women and youth. This is achieved through the collection of plastic bottles and the compression of these bottles to generate more economic and sustainable value.
Together, they have been able to achieve an incredible feat – watch the RESWAYE story below.