Investors running a firm recycling plastic bags and other plastic items into different usable materials used in agricultural and construction, are looking forward to recycling large quantities of single use plastic bottles following the recent ban on them in Rwanda.
Léon Nduwayezu, the owner of Agroplast Ltd came up with the idea to recycle plastic items in 2007 when Rwanda issued a ban on plastic bags use is a threat to the environment.
“We realized that without recycling, the plastic bags would be gathered and be burnt yet burning them is also part of polluting environment. This emerged as an opportunity. We work with Rwanda Environmental Management Authority to reduce the threats,” he said.
He said they recycle over 1 tonne of plastic items per day.
“We are now working together on how to manage single-use plastic items such as water bottles, straws and others. We have already found a solution on the table and we only remain with importing suitable machinery from China to start massive production in August. By mixing water plastic bottles and other types of plastic items, we have already produced a sample of pavers for construction and tiles. We are also looking at producing roofing tiles from plastic items,” he noted.
Parliament recently passed a draft law prohibiting the manufacture, importation, use and sale of single-use plastic items in Rwanda.
Single-use plastics are plastics that are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled, which pollutes the environment.
These include plastic bags, cups, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles, and most food packaging materials…Read more>>
