Environmentalists open plastic collection centre in Malindi

Plastic waste. [Samson Wire, Standard]

Environmental conservationists in Kilifi County have opened a plastic collection centre in Malindi town to reduce waste and create job opportunities for locals in the resort town. 

The Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is operated by Eco World groups, owned by the Watamu Marine Association.

The facility aims to promote the circular economy and increase awareness of the importance of waste management by turning trash into cash. 

The centre will be the second such facility by Eco World after the one in Watamu that has been running for years.  It is projected to collect at least three tonnes of plastic waste daily. 

While launching the centre recently, Kilifi County Chief Officer for Environment Zamzam Ali said that the collaboration shows goodwill for a multi-sectoral approach to the issue of plastic waste management. 

Eco World General Manager Steve Trott said the organisation is working with women and those in the informal sector to put value on plastic waste. 

He added that they offer financial incentives where the people go out to the streets and beaches to collect plastics and bring them to the collection centres in exchange for money. The plastic waste is then machine crushed and sold to plastic recycling industries in Mombasa and Nairobi.

WWF Kenya Project Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Project Officer Henry Masai said people should collect, recycle and attach value to plastics instead of littering.