The Africa Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA), of which the African Development Bank is a partner, has proposed the introduction of an Africa-wide standard for rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate or recycled PET plastic) in food applications to mitigate the impact of plastic pollution on biodiversity, ecosystems and human health.
According to an ACEA study presented on 6 September 2024 in Abidjan, such a standard is likely to boost the continent's economic growth, stimulate intra-African trade and lessen countries' dependence on imports and at the same time encourage innovation.
Unveiled on the side lines of the Tenth Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), held in the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire, the Alliance's publication, entitled "Reducing Plastic Pollution in Africa: The Imperative of a Continental rPET Standard for Food-contact Applications", was put together in cooperation by the Circular Economy Advisory Group, a ministerial consultative entity that provides advice to the Australian government on the transition to a more circular economy and the European Union-funded "Switch to Circular Economy" programme.
rPET is a material made from recycled used PET plastic packaging. It offers significant environmental benefits, requiring half as much energy and emitting five times less CO2 than the production of virgin PET bottles. In Africa, this initiative would considerably reduce the extraction of new raw materials.
"The implementation of a pan-African rPET standard calls for coordination action from all stakeholders: governments should enact policies promoting a circular economy and fostering regional cooperation, industries need to invest in recycled materials and redesign packaging with sustainability in mind, consumers must actively choose products packaged in rPET containers, and intergovernmental institutions and donor agencies have to offer financial and technical support," the ACEA study suggests.
The crucial role that the circular economy plays in combating land degradation, desertification and drought - the theme of this year's Ministerial Conference - was stressed to officials from African environment ministries.
"The circular economy represents a transformative solution for Africa's green growth, bringing with it the potential to create 11 million jobs and increase Africa's GDP by $66 billion, while effecting a 60 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030," said Anthony Nyong, Director of the African Development Bank's Climate Change and Green Growth Department. "The Alliance, supported by the Africa Circular Economy Facility (ACEF), will make a decisive contribution to the implementation of the Continental Circular Economy Action Plan."
As far as Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union Commission, is concerned, "It is essential to support Africa so that it can seize the vast opportunities offered by circularity." He added: "We call on all stakeholders - governments, the private sector and development organisations - to join forces with the Alliance to support the African Union's Continental Circular Economy Action Plan for Africa."
Rose Mwebaza, the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) Director and Regional Representative in Africa, called for additional support for African countries' transition to circularity: "We need to strengthen partnerships and alliances to determine common goals and collaboratively harness the resources needed to fund this implementation."
With the support of the ACEF, established by the African Development Bank, which hosts the ACEA secretariat, the Alliance promotes the circular economy throughout the continent via various initiatives, policy development and the scaling-up of circular businesses and projects.
