Sustainable Plastic Waste Management for Youth

Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA)

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Abstract: Kenya is currently facing a youth unemployment problem with about 11.8 million unemployed youths. The country is also facing increased plastic waste pollution, presenting an opportunity for youth employment in plastic circularity. However, youth participation in plastic waste management is low due to negative perceptions of the sector, inadequate financing, insufficient waste management facilities, limited market access for recycled products, limited use of technology, weak partnerships and networking and insufficient information. In addition, plastic waste management is predominantly informal. The sector has approximately 32,000 plastic waste collectors of whom 62% are the youth. The actors in plastic waste management sector who operate largely informally are disadvantaged by the inability to access government-provided services such as finance, training, technology support and marketing. The plastic waste management sector has not attracted youth because of the hazardous nature of the job and the perception that the work in waste management is indecent. The youth recyclers in the waste management organizations operate recycling machines that are inefficient and produce substandard products out of recycled plastic waste materials.