Chongwe, Monday (December 11, 2023)
PRESS RELEASE

Zambian youths involved in plastic waste recycling are worried that recycling remains a forgotten sub sector despite President Hakainde Hichilema’s desire to see growth in the area.

Newtech Recycling Limited Managing Director Castro Shanobe says President Hichilema in July this year visited a recycling plant in Ghana which is doing exactly what Newtech is doing in Chongwe.

Shanobe said his firm has off take agreements with companies in South Africa and Morocco to supply a minimum combined total of 230 000 kilograms plastic flakes but that no Government official is interested in the potentially profitable venture.

He said Newtech’s goal is to find a solution to indiscriminate waste disposal in Zambia by buying waste plastic bottles from vulnerable people in society in order to produce things such as desks, fencing poles and construction materials.

The Recycling Advocate said the firm has recorded some level of success as it has managed to gain traction from organisations such as Musika which donated most of the equipment, the Swedish, the Finish and the US Embassies.

He said Musika, Swedish, Finish and the US Embassies helped Newtech to set up a pilot recycling plant in Chongwe which is helping to showcase some of the products.

“Now that we have proved the concept, the vision is to expand the business in order to get more materials, employ more people and address the problem of waste disposal. The challenge is access to finance. We have written to different organisations but it is very difficult to get support in this sector. We appeal to Government to look at this forgotten sector,” he said.

The Newtech Managing Director said recycling has huge potential to employ the vulnerable youths in society.

“We have the potential to capture all the waste that society is complaining about to convert it into progressive products and employ people that desperately need jobs. We appeal to Government to visit us in order to appreciate our innovations and efforts for us to address the problem of waste,” he said.

Shanobe appealed to Minister of Green Economy and Environment Collins Nzovu, Science and Technology Minister Felix Mutati and the Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo being Chongwe Member of Parliament to visit the firm to appreciate what they are doing.

“Demand is huge for our recycled products. Currently, we have two off take agreements from one company in South Africa and the other in Morocco to buy our products but the biggest problem is that we lack capacity. The products that have off take agreements in Morocco and South Africa are plastic flakes. Plastic flakes involves washing plastic bottles then shred it professionally. One organization is looking for 90 000 kilograms per month and the other one is looking for 140 000 kilograms per month. This is the minimum that they can buy from us meaning that they can buy more tons if we have more capacity,” he said.

Shanobe said if supported, Newtech would increase production from the current 200 kilograms per hour because clients want the firm to produce at least one ton per hour.

“President Hakainde Hichilema has always talked about recycling. In July this year, President Hichilema visited a recycling plant in Ghana which is doing exactly what we are doing here in Chongwe District. He has been calling on his team to create a system to allow for recycling in order to create jobs. We have written to all ministries to inform them about what we are doing. We appeal to them to visit us. By visiting us, they are not committing but we will create a partnership that would help to make an impact in the environment as a whole,” he said.