Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) has partnered with Environment360 (E360) and Miniplast Limited to launch its Beta Malt PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) plastic recycling initiative at Old Fadama in Accra.

Environment360 is a not-for-profit organization which is helping to reduce plastic waste in Accra and nationwide.

Miniplast Ltd is a leading manufacturer of industrial products in Ghana which recycles plastic and reuses the plastic to make products such as plastic chairs.

With this partnership, E360’s waste pickers who are mostly women from several neighbouring communities will collect ABL’s Beta Malt plastic waste bottles and deliver them to the Old Fadama collection station.

The empty plastic bottles would be weighed and the quantity recorded. The collectors would be paid for the empty bottles presented and then Miniplast would transport them to its manufacturing plant for recycling.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

The Legal and Corporate Affairs Director of ABL, Adwoa Aaba Arthur, in an interview, stated that “ABL is committed to creating a clean environment by recycling its Beta Malt plastic bottles.”

Also, “as a proud part of ABInBev, the world’s largest brewer, we are committed to achieving one of our 2025 Sustainability Goals: Circular Packaging. This means that ABL is ensuring that 100 per cent of our packaged products are returnable or recyclable to reduce our waste to landfill sites,” she added.

In addition, this initiative is part of ABL’s commitment to invest in a Growing World where everyone has an opportunity to improve their livelihood.

Further, the Beta Malt plastic bottle recycling initiative depicts ABL’s commitment to supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Some of these goals are; SDG 1 No Poverty; SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 11-Sustainable Cities & Communities and SDG 13 Climate Change.

Benefits from the Partnership

Ms Arthur mentioned that ABL’s recycling initiative will create employment opportunities for the residents in the neighbouring communities especially the women which would improve their livelihood.

Also, payment to the waste pickers who collect the Beta Malt plastic bottles would be channelled through mobile money services as ABL strives to project the importance of financial inclusion in Ghana’s growing economy.

ABL will sponsor the Green Academy which is a climate change awareness program spearheaded by E360, Ghana Education Service and the UN University at Maastricht in the Netherlands.

In this program, teachers from schools in the surrounding Adabraka community would be trained to understand the environmental impact of plastic waste and disseminated to the students.

In turn, the students would share this information with their neighbours on how plastic waste is impacting flora, fauna and the sea. ABL will place plastic bins at these schools to collect empty Beta Malt plastic bottles for recycling.

ABL Joins GRIPE

ABL is now a member of the Ghana Recycling Initiative by Private Enterprises (GRIPE) which is an industry-led coalition formed under the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) to integrate sustainable waste management solutions such as plastic.

GRIPE advocates for improved waste management practices, segregating solid waste from source and diverting recyclables from landfills, and creating awareness on the proper disposal of waste.

“As a member of GRIPE, ABL will support its agenda and participate in its monthly buy-back program which creates awareness on the proper disposal of waste, refuse segregation, and recycling,” she said.

Ms Arthur stated that ABL will continue to partner with organizations to achieve its 2025 Sustainability Goals and its Better World Agenda to improve the livelihood of Ghanaians.