Industry Presents Roadmap on plastic waste management to Minister of Environment

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), led by its Director General, Mr. Ajayi Kadiri, along with key members of the Non-Alcoholic Drinks Industry, paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Environment in Abuja recently.

The delegation was warmly received by the Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Adekunle Salako.

During the visit, the MAN delegation discussed crucial issues on the environment and reiterated the industry’s dedication to effective plastic waste management.

A comprehensive roadmap on plastic waste management was then presented to the Minister, highlighting strategic initiatives and collaborative efforts aimed at tackling plastic pollution in the country.

Director General of MAN, Mr. Ajayi Kadiri, stated, “Over the past decade, the Nigerian recycling industry has witnessed significant capacity expansion.

The landscape has attracted three bottle-to-bottle recycling plants, over six other recycling companies converting plastics to other products, and over 200 aggregators at various levels of capacity and competence.

“Furthermore, our industry demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability. Major players within the industry have injected over USD 10.4 million (both within and outside the Food and Beverage Recycling Allowance) in the last three years towards the advancement of their corporate social responsibility,” he added.

The Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, expressed his appreciation for MAN’s proactive approach and emphasised the government’s readiness to support the industry.

A key highlight of the meeting was the presentation of a report, “The Non-Alcoholic Drinks Sectoral Report: Considerations for Single Use Plastics Tax Reforms,” prepared in collaboration with PwC, to the Minister.

The report contains the comprehensive roadmap on plastic waste management in Nigeria.

The Non-Alcoholic Drinks Industry, in keeping with its commitment to attaining a cleaner and more sustainable environment, has over the years introduced several initiatives.

Notably, some members of the Food and Beverage Industry including companies in the Non-Alcoholic Drinks sub-sectoral group, established the Food Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA) in 2013 – to promote a thriving recycling sector, collecting millions of tons of plastic waste, indirectly creating over 400,000 jobs within the ecosystem, and attracting significant investments in circular economy projects.