Rite Foods Limited has intensified its efforts to reduce environmental pollution and stimulate grassroots economic activity with the launch of "Waste-Is-Naira" (W.I.N) initiative, in partnership with RecyclePoints.
The initiative designed to advance Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principles by creating a structured system for the recovery, collection, and recycling of post-consumer packaging was projected with annual recovery of over 750 tonnes of plastic waste.
Speaking at the launch, the firm's Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Ekuma Eze, described the initiative as a natural evolution of the firm's sustainability journey and a deliberate move to embed EPR into its business model.
"This initiative goes beyond clean-up efforts. It reflects our responsibility as a producer to close the loop on our packaging materials. With 'Waste-Is-Naira', we are institutionalising a system where post-consumer waste is recovered, reintegrated into the value chain, and translated into tangible socio-economic benefits for Nigerians," he said.
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He added that the initiative is part of the firm's efforts to build through a more structured, incentive-based recycling framework that drives behavioral change at the community level.
The Programme Manager at RecyclePoints, Daniel Oderinde, highlighted the process of collection to delivery of wastes, saying participants would be provided with designated sack bags to encourage proper waste segregation at the source.
"Once filled, these materials are delivered to designated collection hubs, where they are weighed, logged, and digitally recorded. Payments are subsequently processed, ensuring transparency, traceability, and financial inclusion for participant," he said.
The Executive Secretary of Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance, FBRA, Arese Onigise commended the firm for the launch of the initiative, describing it as a scalable model the industry needs to drive long-term environmental sustainability.
"Initiatives like 'Waste-Is-Naira' exemplify how producers can move beyond compliance to actively implement Extended Producer Responsibility in a way that is both practical and impactful.
"By creating collection systems that incentivise consumers and integrate informal waste actors, Rite Foods is contributing significantly to the development of a circular economy for packaging in Nigeria," she said.
