The Coca-Cola Foundation has committed USD 500,000 to a pilot project led by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to strengthen Pakistan’s circular plastic economy and improve conditions for informal waste workers.
Titled “Promoting Sustainability & Decent Work in the PET Recycling Value Chain,” the initiative aims to enhance recycling systems, promote sustainable plastic waste management, and support workers operating in the informal recycling sector. A recent multi-stakeholder workshop in Islamabad highlighted how collaboration between the public and private sectors can deliver both environmental and social benefits.
Partnership Aims to Strengthen Plastic Recycling Policies
The project focuses on advancing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies to improve plastic waste management across Pakistan.
Representatives from the Ministry of Climate Change, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), Capital Development Authority (CDA), development partners, and workers’ representatives participated in the workshop to discuss policy priorities and implementation strategies.
The collaborative approach is intended to address key regulatory gaps while promoting a more sustainable and accountable recycling ecosystem.
Diagnostic Study Identifies Key Challenges
Participants reviewed preliminary findings from a diagnostic study examining Pakistan’s PET recycling value chain.
The study identified several challenges, including policy and governance gaps, operational inefficiencies, limited market integration, resource constraints, and weaknesses in material recovery systems.
Stakeholders shared recommendations to support evidence-based interventions aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of plastic recycling.
Focus on Informal Waste Workers
Improving the livelihoods, occupational safety, and working conditions of informal waste workers is a central objective of the project.
Minister of State Dr. Shezra Mansab highlighted the important contribution of informal waste workers to Pakistan’s transition toward a circular economy and emphasized the need to create safer and more inclusive employment opportunities within the recycling sector.
The initiative seeks to strengthen income opportunities while enhancing health and safety standards for workers engaged in waste collection and recycling.
Model for a Scalable Circular Economy
Pakistan generates nearly two million tonnes of plastic waste annually, underscoring the need for more effective recycling systems and stronger policy coordination.
By combining corporate funding from the Coca-Cola Foundation with technical expertise from UNOPS and the ILO, alongside government participation, the project offers a collaborative model that could be replicated across other sectors and provinces.
Advancing Sustainable Waste Management in Pakistan
The Coca-Cola Foundation’s USD 500,000 investment represents an important step toward strengthening Pakistan’s circular plastic economy. Through improved policy frameworks, better recycling systems, and enhanced support for informal waste workers, the initiative aims to promote environmental sustainability while creating more inclusive and decent employment opportunities.