Silafrica Kenya: Sustainable Plastic Packaging Solutions for Sustainable Cities and Communities

From the World Bank 2021 report, Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, produces 2400 tons of solid waste daily. Out of this, 840 tons is plastic waste. Only 45% of the total waste is recycled or converted to another valuable form out of an 80% target. This represents the ground truth in the major cities across Kenya and East Africa in general.

Breaking down the context into first principles, there’s two explanations for the low recycling percentage; not enough recycling capacity or most of the material being non-recyclable. With more than 13000 Mt of plastic recycled in Kenya annually, one cannot conclusively say the low percentage is as a result of lack of recycling capacity. Could it be because the material is non-recyclable? That too can’t be conclusively said. What can be agreed on however is that increasing the recycling capacity while concurrently advocating for the use of recyclable plastic packaging would significantly increase the percentage.

While increasing the recycling capacity lies entirely in the hands of entrepreneurs and the government, consumers can play a vital role in advocating for use of recyclable plastic packaging. Despite the high publicity on the need for circular plastic innovations, this awareness has not fundamentally changed consumer behaviours primarily because consumers don’t care which plastic packaging is recyclable and which is not resulting in materials being lost to the economy.

A behavioural change is thus imperative to influence enterprises and SMEs to switch to recyclable and sustainable plastic packaging solutions. If this doesn’t happen, we risk altering natural processes therefore reducing the ecosystems’ ability to adapt to climate change directly affecting millions of people’s livelihood and well being as well as food production capabilities. A question of if the consequences of inaction will be bearable therefore needs to be clear among consumers. With a clear answer in mind, it becomes much easier for consumers to be proactive in securing a future they find favourable.

One way would be consumers opting for products packaged in recyclable plastic packaging over single use plastic. By doing this, plastic packaging consumers would be forced to move to the former as not doing so would affect their bottom line. This on its own has a huge influence in driving towards adoption of recyclable and sustainable plastic packaging solutions. By finding a sustainable packaging manufacturing company, the enterprises and SMEs will not only be on the consumers’ whitelist but also be securing a sustainable future.

Locally, Silafrica, the leading plastics packaging company in East Africa, offers sustainable packaging solutions to enterprises and SMEs in the food and beverage industry, as well as the agricultural industry, among others. Using the latest technologies in packaging, Silafrica is able to manufacture attractive packaging with a high shelf appeal at affordable rates, the key attributes resulting in a profitable business to the packaging consumer.

ABOUT SILAFRICA: Silafrica has been the leading manufacturer and supplier of the most innovative and sustainable rigid plastic packaging solutions for beverage, food, personal and home care, and chemicals since 1967.

FAIR USE POLICY
This material (including media content) may not be published, broadcasted, rewritten, or redistributed. However, linking directly to the page (including the source, i.e. Marcopolis.net) is permitted and encouraged.