UNIDO collaborates with stakeholders to implement waste to wealth project

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), is collaborating with the Japanese government, European Union (EU) and African Development Bank (AfDB) to implement waste to wealth project. The Regional Director of UNIDO Nigeria, Mr Jean Bakole, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday. Bakole said that the project would last for three years, and that the collaboration would support the execution of the project. According to him, the essence of the collaboration is to ensure that the project is executed effectively within the time frame. He said that UNIDO was also partnering with the Ministry of Environment, as the essence of the project was to see how the organisation could turn pollution materials into initiative. “The process will help to recycle plastic from value chains of solid and plastic waste of old materials into new materials, thereby, turning waste into wealth.

“The three years project by UNIDO is going to be beneficial in Nigeria, as it will promote economic development and job creations,’’ he said. Bakole said the organisations were trying to reduce the effects of the bad materials to reevaluate them into new products with the help of new technologies used in recycling industries. The regional director said that the organisations were working on adding value to eco-system and seeking ways to get talented youths in the field. He stressed that the aim was to offer the youth ideas, opportunities, training and financial aids in the recycling processes. “Going into the processes will bring job opportunities, help in start-up and evaluate ideas of how the materials can be recycled and utilised efficiently. The circular economy forms a linear economy approach which will have its methodology to domesticate in Nigeria and benefit not only in Nigeria but other countries. This is to reduce the negative impact of waste, particularly solid waste, e-waste and domestic waste,’’ he said. According to Bakole, the effort will help to know how to go through plastic value chain in order to transform used products into new products which can assist the local and national economy. (NAN)