Our environment is littered with millions of plastic bottles. This observation therefore implies that we have in the process littered our environment with money. Why should we complain of poverty and unemployment while an opportunity exists to get rich from discarded plastic bottles? Why should we have our youth loitering and complaining of lack of basic needs while an enormous opportunity exists, with free plastic waste littering our environment.
Technology exists in China to make polyester cloth from plastic bottles. All they need from us is shredded bottles of the right quality. They are ready to buy the shredded pieces in huge quantities. Someone needs to exploit this opportunity
The African governments have closer ties with China. The balance of trade between China and Kenya is skewed to the former’s advantage. It is easy to negotiate a deal whereby Kenya exports the plastic shreds to China (since we do not have the polyester making technology). This provides an option for Kenyan entrepreneurs in case the other uses for recycled plastics yield less profits. It is advisable explore many options as all could lead to employment of our people as well as cleaning our environment.
Plastic bottles when left to litter our environment makes it dirty, blocks our drainage systems especially in urban areas causing flooding. Other negative aspects of plastics litter is that some people burn it and in the process emit smoke with carcinogenic substances, which can make our people sick. In addition, discarded plastics form breeding grounds for disease causing organisms such as rodents, cockroaches, mosquitoes and flies. All these negative aspects of plastic waste currently dominate in our country and makes the country lose a lot of money in terms of drugs, fixing the drains and collecting the garbage. This predicament could be avoided if people embrace collection and recycling of these bottles.
One does not need to wait till you have enough money to buy a shredder machine. There are many Kenyans who have these shredding machines but lack adequate raw materials to keep their machinery busy. So, if you are a young entrepreneur and wants to start recycling, don’t hesitate. There are licensed recyclers near you who can buy your collection of plastic bottles. You can enquire about these recyclers from the nearest office of the National Environment Authority at the county level.
Hence, embrace a millionaire mindset, collect the plastic bottles, sell them and make money.
For more information, see this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyF9MxlcItw
© Ayub Macharia, April 2014
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