Nairobi, July 9, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kenya has become the first country on the continent to implement a program aimed at addressing challenges in plastic waste recycling supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This comes after Circulate Initiative, a global non-profit focused on tackling ocean plastic pollution in emerging markets, announced the expansion of its Responsible Sourcing Initiative (RSI) into Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kenya becomes the fourth country globally to implement the RSI, following successful pilots in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This marks a pivotal step for the initiative, which brings together brands, investors, recyclers, and waste worker organizations to address some of the most urgent human rights challenges in the plastics recycling supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Supported by funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation and IKEA Foundation, the RSI aims to improve working conditions, wages, and recognition for the informal waste sector\u2014workers who play a critical but often overlooked role in keeping plastic waste out of the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Kenya, the program is being implemented in partnership with Mr. Green Africa, a Nairobi-based plastics recycling company known for integrating informal waste pickers into its operations. The collaboration centers on rolling out the Harmonized Responsible Sourcing Framework for Recycled Plastics, a global standard launched in 2024 to guide ethical and inclusive sourcing in the recycled plastics sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur launch in Africa is a significant milestone,\u201d said Annerieke Douma, Senior Director of Programs at The Circulate Initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt allows us to take our global experience and tailor it to local realities\u2014starting here in Kenya, where waste pickers are on the frontlines of the plastic pollution crisis but still face discrimination and precarious working conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kenya produces nearly 983,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually, yet only 8% is currently recycled, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Informal waste workers\u2014estimated at over 46,000 nationwide\u2014play a crucial role in bridging this recycling gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A recent baseline study of Mr. Green Africa\u2019s operations, conducted at a stakeholder forum in Nairobi, highlighted both strengths and areas for improvement within the company\u2019s value chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key challenges identified include low pay, unsafe conditions, and limited access to social protections for many workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still, the study revealed promising signs: many waste pickers are aware of unions and eager to engage more formally with industry stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPartnering with the Kenya National Waste Pickers Welfare Association and other grassroots groups will be essential,\u201d Douma added. \u201cTheir voices must shape the solutions we create.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Carlos Pagoaga, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation, emphasized the critical role of informal workers in circular economy goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese workers are essential to reducing packaging waste. Supporting RSI is about protecting their rights and recognizing the impact they make every day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keiran Smith, Co-Founder and CEO of Mr. Green Africa, said the initiative is aligned with the company\u2019s mission to create an ethical, transparent supply chain for recycled plastics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThrough RSI, we can expand our network, boost Africa\u2019s supply of responsibly sourced plastic, and uplift the people who make it possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Circulate Initiative also announced the launch of the Responsible Sourcing Network Africa (RSNA)\u2014a collaborative platform to train and support organizations in scaling responsible sourcing practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The network will operate in seven countries: Ethiopia, Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, Djibouti, Morocco, and Kenya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The global goal is to enhance the livelihoods of 50,000 informal waste workers, gain commitments from over 50 global brands, and deliver 100,000 tonnes of responsibly sourced recycled plastic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the initiative takes root in Africa, it brings new hope for a more inclusive and sustainable plastics economy\u2014one where waste pickers are no longer invisible, but recognized as the environmental stewards they truly are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nairobi, July 9, 2025 Kenya has become the first country on the continent to implement…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kenyatopstories.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kenyatopstories.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kenyatopstories.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kenyatopstories.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kenyatopstories.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6758"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kenyatopstories.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6758\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6759,"href":"https:\/\/kenyatopstories.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6758\/revisions\/6759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kenyatopstories.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kenyatopstories.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kenyatopstories.co.ke\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}