TotalEnergies, NNPC, And UNITAR Open Plastic Recycling Plant EP, Nigeria Limited has opened a pilot plastic recycling plant in Rivers State’s Port Harcourt.
It is a joint venture (JV) project of TotalEnergies, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) (UNITAR).
The Country Chair, Managing Director (MD) of TotalEnergies, Mike Sangster, launched the project yesterday at Elelenwo community in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of the state, saying the idea arose out of the need to find a sustainable solution to the problem of single-use plastic waste management.
According to him, the multimillion-dollar state-of-the-art plant can recycle over 1000 tons of plastics per year, save over 750 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per year, and create more than 80 direct and indirect jobs.
He stated that it would be managed by an entrepreneur on a loan basis in order for the project to be replicated in other parts of the country.
“While TotalEnergies is the project’s sponsor, the plant itself will be handed over to an entrepreneur who will run it and eventually take full ownership after repaying a portion of the investment,” he explained.
“The recovered portion of the investment, according to Sabster, will be placed in a recycling fund and re-invested in similar facilities throughout the state.”
“Our goal is to create a long-term model in which local entrepreneurs are empowered, trained, and supported to run the business, thereby supporting local enterprise while promoting sustainable waste management in accordance with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Goal 12, which calls for sustainable consumption and production patterns.”
Our vision in establishing this plant is to facilitate waste management in Nigeria through economic empowerment, which is consistent with our company’s core values.
The pilot plant is outfitted with sophisticated modern recycling machines and will recycle over 1000 tons of waste polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) per year.
Mrs Sharon Ikeazor, Minister of State for Environment, also spoke at the event and challenged the private sector to join the project and replicate it to combat marine pollution and plastic waste in the ocean.
According to Olubumi Olusanya, Director, Pollution Control, Federal Ministry of Environment, the government has “created the enabling environment to promote circular economy such as this, for waste reduction, recycling, and converting wastes to wealth, through incentives and policies.”
Bala Wunti, Managing Director of NAPIMS, also spoke, and assured that the project would pave the way for other similar projects in support of the government’s social investment initiative through the oil and gas sector.
“Our vision for social interventions is to operate in an ethical and sustainable manner and deal with the environment and social impact occasioned by our activities, thus the approval of various CSR projects by our operators across the country for maximum impact,” said Wunti’s Manager, Efficiency, Mrs Adetutu Olukanmi.
In addition, the Assistant Secretary-General of UNITAR, Mr Nikhil Seth, who was represented by a Senior Consultant at UNITAR, Dr Lawrence Boms, praised TotalEnergies for having the confidence to partner with them on the project, stating that the project demonstrated collaboration between the public and private sectors.
Eze Sunny Weli Chukwu, the hoat Monarch and Nye Nwe Eli Elelenwo community leader, praised the decision to locate the project in his domain and requested that the Federal Government’s local content policy be activated to allow his subjects to be directly involved in the factory’s workforce.
