Project

In partnership with Somalia

	 
		Duration: 2020	

	Status: Completed

During 2020 a collaboration was developed between Gästrike återvinnare and three municipalities operating in the Republic Somaliland in the horn of Africa. This collaboration involves tackling the issues pertaining to the large waste problem involving polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles.

After demonstrating our environmental and waste know-how to the Minister of Environment and Minister of Investment and Trade from Somaliland, we were entrusted to establish a partnership with the Ministry in Somaliland. A collaboration that developed to the point that we also extenden the collaboration with three other municipalities, Hargeisa which is in the capital city, the coastal town of Berbera and Odweine. The collaboration includes everything from planning, organizational structures, development of collection and recycling to securing landfills and reducing littering.

Together with the ministry in Somaliland, entrepreneurs and investors, we were able to carry out extensive work during the project to reduce the enormous littering problem of PET bottles in the country. A solution that should also lead to increased recycling and benefits for the local economy. Together with the Swedish based company based in Gävle called Tempix, we have developed a safer way to keep food and medication chilled throughout the supply chain journey. A solution to avoiding unnecessary wastage especially when the cold supply chain is broken for various reasons. We were also able to develop a solution in reducing the high electricity prices by using solar panels devised by Dalarna Science Park based in Sweden.

Results

We developed a strategic model to collect hazardous waste safely and efficiently which could be rolled out throughout South Africa in the future.

The pilot project for collecting hazardous waste was successfull and we also developed a manual for hazardous waste that is used by the municipality and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) in South Africa. The idea is to roll-out this strategy in more municipalities.