According to a press release, The Coca-Cola Foundation has provided support for SR Asia’s project titled “Integrated Management of Plastic Assortment and Contribution Towards Green Economy” (IMPACT-GE). The core objective is to develop an efficient waste management system along with reducing local air, water and land pollution.
The partnership is also focused on improving the lives of individuals such as waste management workers through green jobs and inclusive economic growth.
Impact-GE will work to prevent waste crisis and establish efficient resource utilization. The initial duration of Impact-GE is 12 months and during the first six months of pilot duration, it will collect and recycle over 1800 tons of PET and impact the lives of 1.37 million people.
Additionally, 300 waste collectors have already registered with SR Asia for Impact-GE with plans in place to increase the number of participants.
Sumaiya Rashid, country director of SR Asia said: “Bangladesh has been struggling with waste management for decades in spite of having multiple excellent policies in place. To mitigate this issue we need the involvement of both public and private entities. Especially the private sector can play an important role to complement the Government in Bangladesh in this area to manage waste, implement 3R through international several standards and guidelines, improve the waste workers’ livelihood and empowering them economically through an inclusive business model so that the nation will be benefitted at large as where the business of the private sector exists. We hope with the Coca-Cola Foundation’s support we’ll be able to bring forth the change we wanted to see for so long.”
Saadia Madsbjerg, president of The Coca-Cola Foundation said: “The waste collection sector of Bangladesh is an informal sector with this program we seek to link the informal sector with the formal sector and support stability and safety of waste management workers. We believe this project will help reduce waste and benefit both communities and the environment.”
Previously, TCCF had provided support to Brac for the campaign, “Bandhan”, to develop a model for the safe life and livelihood of waste workers in 13 low-income informal settlements of Dhaka. The project had taken many initiatives and as part of the “Bandhan” project’s key activities, eight wash blocks were launched for the waste workers in the capital.
According to the World Bank’s report “Towards a Multisectoral Action Plan for Sustainable Plastic Management in Bangladesh”, the country’s annual per capita plastic consumption in urban areas tripled to nine kg in 2020 from three kg in 2005. The report further mentioned that a circular economy will help create new value chains, green skills, employment, and innovative products while addressing social and environmental challenges. And to create this circular economy, the inclusion of the private sector is highly recommended.
