adminAnswer Sithole
WITH a high unemployment rate in the country, youths from Sakubva high-density suburb have taken up plastic recycling.
Mutare Plastic Recycling Centre is a company of youths formed in February this year with a membership of 60, but the number has since dropped to eight as others left citing various reasons.
It was an initiative of the Environmental Management Agency and Mercy Corps.
They are operating from the defunct Mutare Board and Paper Mills premises in the Nyakamete Industrial Area.
Plastic recycling is one of the business proposals which they undertook among others they were presented by Mercy Corps, the major player in the establishment of this business.
Mercy Corps sponsored all the equipment that is being used and secured the place where they are operating from.
The Government also had a hand in the establishment of the project through the Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment.
In an interview, MPRC chairperson, Mr Levy Jekwa, said there was no going back in their business which has helped transform their lives.
“We are a group of youths who grew up in Sakubva. At first we were 60, but the other 52 quit because they were shy to be seen collecting plastics from refuse bins around town. Among the eight, one is female.
“It requires hard work to survive in this line of business.
“Our project was the brainchild of Mercy Corps who made us to pick among the project proposals they had. We opted for this project since much of its raw materials are easily accessible. EMA was also involved.
“We were given the machinery we are using by Mercy Corps. They also negotiated for this place we are operating from. However, we are now running as a company. We pay our own bills and salaries as well.
“So far we managed to do three sales. The first sale was two tonnes of plastic chips which was valued at $1 947. The second sale was of 94kg of raw plastic which had a value of $400 and the last sale was 80kg of raw plastic which had a value of $400.
“Even though we have made all those sales, we are finding it difficult to operate because we are being owed over $800.
“The buyers are based in Harare and they somehow take advantage that we are from Mutare. Despite us not having the best of equipment and not producing much, we managed to create employment for ourselves,” said Mr Jekwa.
EMA provincial manager Mr Kingston Chitotombe hailed the project, saying it had helped in reducing the amount of plastic refuse on the streets.
“Everyone has a right to a clean and safe environment, hence we came up with this waste management system. Recycling will ensure that the environment is clean.
“These youths are responsible citizens who want to ensure that the environment is always clean, an initiative that can be embraced by a few.
“As EMA, we are hoping that they will have a contract with Petricozim. We are still discussing the terms.
“They will be collecting pet bottles which include soft drink plastic bottles, cooking oil bottles and many other plastic containers.
“They have to boil the containers and then supply the recycled material to Petricozim. We hope this will establish a viable market and as well as link them with other markets,” said Mr Chitotombe.
Online Reporter