In a world where the continuous consumption of plastic is becoming more and more a global issue, and a threat that requires urgent solutions, Africa plays a key role. In fact, the big continent aims at developing a plastic recycling sector that could make the difference in fighting pollution.
Kenya, in particular, is among the African countries that are committed in implementing an effective garbage disposal procedure, as proved by the Sustainable Waste Management Act of 2022, that plans the establishment of a network of sustainable collection centers.
Consistently with a greater awareness on this subject, a successful case within the waste management sector has arisen from the E4Impact’s network, involving two companies: an Italian one and a Kenyan one.
On October the 6th, Montello S.p.A, from Bergamo (Italy), founded by the entrepreneur Roberto Sancinelli, has entered for the first time the Kenyan market of waste disposal through POLIM, led by Luca Sancinelli. This happened thanks to Pura Terra Recycling, the Joint Venture formed with the Kenyan SME Pure Planet Recyclers.
This Joint Venture is something E4Impact is very proud of, especially because both companies are strictly connected with the Foundation. On the one side, Montello is one of the Italian companies that participates in the Foundation, and this support occurred specifically with the purpose of carrying out high social impact projects. On the other side, Pure Planet Recyclers, founded and managed by Richard Kainika, is one of the companies accelerated by the E4Impact Acceleration Program. This program is offered by the Foundation together with Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and is funded by Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo, and helps companies to grow, while encouraging investment opportunities and connecting them to global markets.
Pura Terra Recycling was born with the purpose of transforming plastic waste into final product. This starts with the recovering of plastic waste, in order to reduce the amount of waste in the environment, making Kenya more independent from plastic imports. To do so, Montello S.p.A, which manages 1.000.000 tons of waste every year, 350.000 of which are plastic waste, will provide its technological expertise, global vision, and the necessary financial resources, while Pure Planet Recyclers, which, despite its small size already has great visibility in the Recycling sector of its country, will bring resources, knowledge of the territory, connections and a consolidated entrepreneurial capacity, essential elements to guarantee a bright future to this Joint Venture.
In fact, Richard Kainika, besides being an entrepreneur and the founder of Pure Planet Recyclers, is also a member and administrator of the Board of Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organization (KEPRO), an association that gathers those who operate within the plastic packaging value chain, to deal with the problem of post-consumption waste.
One of the main goals of Pura Terra Recycling is creating a network of connections among Kenyan companies within the waste disposal sector, and establishing a hub entirely dedicated to the management of plastic waste. In order to do so, the Joint Venture intends to cooperate with companies that are able to operate at all stages of the supply chain.
Within this project, E4Impact Foundation plays a key role in creating a solid network in Kenya and in the neighbouring countries, which could contribute to the growth of Pura Terra Recycling, whose purpose is to increase collecting and production volumes by 2024.
“I strongly believe in the work of E4Impact Foundation, and that’s why last year we decided to give our support, and to join it as partners, to contribute to sustain African economy, providing our consolidated expertise within the sector of plastic recycling” – said Roberto Sancinelli, President of Montello S.p.A – “I consider this opportunity, offered by E4Impact Foundation, fundamental for the growth of the African Economy and at the same time an opportunity for Italian companies not to delocalize, but to preside over a new market, that is too often stereotyped, but which is instead destined to develop and grow”.
In addition to having a significant impact on the environment and on the fight against plastic pollution, the establishment of Pura Terra Recycling will also be decisive in terms of employment: in fact, the creation of new qualified jobs is expected, with dozen of hirings planned in the first year of activity.
This collaboration between Sancinelli and Kainika touches two of the founding elements of E4Impact’s mission: the environmental sustainability and the improvement of socio-economic conditions in Africa.
“Consistently with its mission and its history, E4Impact takes part in multilateral projects to sustain the economic and environmental development of Africa, focusing on impact entrepreneurship in various sectors, including waste management” – explains Professor Mario Molteni, CEO of E4Impact Foundation and Rector’s Delegate for the Business Partnerships at Università Cattolica. “Plastic waste recycling is an important theme in the African continent, which pays the price for plastic waste pollution and so far imports plastic from abroad, burdening on the economy of the Country. For this reason, we are proud of our contribution to the establishment of the Joint Venture with Montello S.p.A: a reality known worldwide for its waste management expertise, as well as a partner that joined our Foundation last year, and whose collaboration formalizes a strong commitment to developing a circular economy and encouraging the African population’s employment growth”.
E4Impact hopes this is just the first of many successful cases, in which cooperation between Italian and African companies, besides offering a win-win solution for both the realities and communities involved, can contribute to building an internationally oriented, sustainable future.