By: HighCelebritySquard
The Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), in partnership with the United Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), held a seminar to raise awareness of the
Promoting Sustainable Plastic Value Chains Through Circular Economy Practices for Recyclers
Project in Abuja. The aim of this collaboration is to contribute to Nigeria’s inclusive and
sustainable industrial development and to reduce leakage of plastics into the environment.
The problem of plastic pollution has continued to grow in tandem with the increase in the use
plastics, necessitating the application of measures to help mitigate the problem by ensuring a
circular economy. One of such measures is the awareness raising seminar targeted towards
promoting circular economy principles and practices to ensure resource efficient production for
plastic value chains in Nigeria.
Participants in the training included relevant stakeholders across the plastic value chain in Abuja
and other states in northern Nigeria. Also in attendance were representatives from FBRA’s
member companies, Plastic Waste Value Players: Waste pickers, Collectors, Aggregators,
Recyclers and Off-takers. representatives from UNIDO, NESREA and the Federal Ministry of
Environment were also present.
Amongst topics discussed during the technical sessions are Resource Efficient, Cleaner
Production and its Benefits, Circular Economy, and Plastic Packaging. Nishio Nahomi, the UNIDO
Project Manager, emphasised the importance of Promoting Sustainable Plastic Value Chains
Through Circular Economy Practices for Recyclers project for Nigeria. Recommendations include
the demonstration of Circular Economy through Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production
(RECP) assessments, adoption of innovative technology and partnership with pilot companies
committed to exploring Japanese improvement options.
Mr. Chukwudi Nwabuisiaku, Assistant Director, Plastics Waste Control at National Environmental
Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA),spoke on the need to adopt circularity
within the plastic value chain. He also reassured the participants of the NESREA’s unwavering
support for the success of the Promoting Sustainable Plastic Value Chains Through Circular
Economy Practices for Recyclers project. Participants expressed their appreciation of the training
and the impact it would have on their businesses. A representative of Boskel Nigeria Limited
thanked FBRA for such an initiative and said he is eager to incorporate the new learnings in his
business.
Rounding up the event, Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Lead for
Nestlé Nigeria Plc, a founding member company of FBRA, thanked everyone present and
encouraged participants to continue to strive towards achieving the end goal which is plastics
circularity. She also expressed the willingness of FBRA to continue to provide the support needed
to transit to this circular economy for plastics in Nigeria.
About FBRA
Registered in March 2018 as the Industry Coalition for the Food and Beverage Sector, the Packaging Producer Responsibility Organisation to implement the
Extended Producer Responsibility in Nigeria. The Alliance has membership drawn from responsible and forward-thinking companies which includes Nigerian
Bottling Company Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Seven-Up Bottling Company Limited, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Intercontinental Distillers Limited,
International Breweries Limited, Tulip Cocoa, Prima Caps and Preforms, DOW Chemicals, Tetra Pak West Africa, The LaCasera Company Plc, Engee PET
Manufacturing Company Limited, Omnik Limited, UAC Foods Limited, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Perfetti Van Melle, CHI Limited, Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals
Limited, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Beta Glass Plc/Frigoglass Industries Nigeria Limited, Kellogg Tolaram Plc, CWAY Limited, Dufil Plc, Friesland Campina
WAMCO, PolySmart Group, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Zard Group and British American Tobacco. For more information contact [email protected]. www.fbranigeria.ng
Cross section of participants from UNIDO, FBRA, Producers/ Manufacturers of Packaging and Waste Value Chain players in Abuja environs.
L-R Oluyomi Banjo (National Programme Coordinator, UNIDO); Nishio Nahomi (Project Manager, UNIDO); Mr. Ryosuke Arai (Sales Manager Recycled Plastics, RECOTECH); Agharese Onaghise (Executive Secretary, FBRA); Sakoto Takenoshita (Technical Advisor, UNIDO) and Victoria Uwadoka (Corporate Communications & PR Manager, Nestle Nigeria).
