By ALICE NACHILOEMBE
Nestlé ESAR and Chilanga Cement have signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) and have officially launched the RE, Nestlé ESAR’s flagship sustainability initiative in Zambia in commemoration of Global Recycling Day.
Nestlé Country Business Manager in Zambia and Malawi Zubayer Davids urged people to have a mind shift on how their look at waste and view waste as an input into a new creation.
Mr Davids said the conception of waste is altered because people think in a circular way instead to regenerate and restore by thinking beyond the linear way the world is currently designed.
“As much as this might seem unattainable, it is possible through a mind shift. To realise this need, we need to start by slowly bringing to life this circular way of thinking,” he said.
He said Nestlé in the region and globally, has many initiatives on sustainability, focused on sustainable packaging, water stewardship, responsible sourcing, climate change and action and regenerative agriculture.
Mr Davids said Plastic waste that accumulates in landfills and the environment is one of the most pressing environmental issues of this time.
He said they have collaborated with other companies, such as Chilanga Cement, research institutions and governments to identify ways of collectively reducing the plastic waste making its way into the environment.
“We should take a moment to reflect on our own actions, as individuals, businesses, and communities, in preserving the environment. It is up to us all to spearhead the process and play our part in changing and safeguarding our environment, and therefore, our communities,” he said.
And Local Government Minister Garry Nkombo said this this year’s world recycling day theme “recycling heroes for creative innovation”, echo’s on thee new dawn government’s commitment to addressing challenges emanating from indiscriminate disposal of waste.
He said government will continue working to create an enabling environment that enhances solid waste service delivery and promotes stakeholder collaboration for a clean and healthy environment.
“Our commitment to ensuring that government policy enables the propagation of innovative and productive programmes especially in the private sector. I wish to implore all producers of waste across the country to emulate nestle, whose target is to collect 160 metric tons of post-consumption plastic waste,” he said.
Regulatory and Scientific Affairs Manager, and Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Officer for the Zambezi region said RE is a programme that is simply premised on three principles Rethink, Reduce and Repurpose.
He said this is about rethinking and encouraging the broader society to rethink their relationship with the environment, being committed to reducing environmental impact in daily activities and focusing on finding innovative ways to up cycle and reuse materials.
