DHAKA, Feb 13, 2024 (BSS)- Cordaid’s plastic waste management project RESILIENT in Dhaka North City Corporation and Narayanganj City Corporation made a new milestone with the launching of one of the key components of the initiative, Buy-Back Centre (Plastic Bazar) in Narayanganj.

The project was made possible due to a grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation. By establishing Buy-Back Centers, the project aims to elevate two waste collectors to the level of aggregators, creating green entrepreneurs and enhancing plastic waste collection methods to eliminate plastic waste from ecosystems.

These centers act as community recycling facilities, where recyclables like plastics, paper, cans, glass, and PET bottles are purchased, sorted, and resold to aggregators and recyclers, a press release said here today.

This system allows 400 local waste collectors and approximately 11,000 community members to earn an income by selling their recyclables.

The center was inaugurated by Mohammad Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive Officer of Narayanganj City Corporation. In addition, other notable attendees include Md. Moinul Islam, Urban Planner, Narayanganj City Corporation, Asit Baran Biswas, Councilor of ward 15 and President of the Standing Committee on Waste Management, Narayanganj City Corporation, Abul Kalam Azad, Program Director, Cordaid and Md. Firoz Alam, Project Manager – RESILIENT, Cordaid Bangladesh One of the key contributors behind the thought process of the Buy-Back center.

Narayanganj City Mayor Dr. Salina Hayat Ivy said that, “The City Corporation has been working tirelessly to make the city green, clean, vibrant, and pollution-free. Creating green Narayanganj has always been our dream. In line with this, innovative approaches like Plastic Buy-Back Centers will further accelerate our work,”

She also said, “This is a commendable initiative and it will financially enable the waste workers, especially female waste workers. I appreciate everyone associated with this initiative, including the residents of the city, and urge everyone to work together to tackle the issue of plastic pollution more effectively.”

While Buy-Back Centers offer transformative benefits for all waste collectors, women are more encouraged to participate and benefit from this initiative as they are less privileged in this sector.

These centers provide a more formalized and stable platform for selling recyclable materials, potentially leading to consistent and higher incomes.

Additionally, these centers can ensure better health and safety conditions by adhering to regulated standards, providing essential protective gear, and offering training on safe handling practices.

They also offer access to services like financial literacy programs, savings schemes, and credit facilities, providing assistance to female waste collectors in managing their earnings and planning for long-term financial security.

Two centers will also provide opportunities for skill development and advancement, enabling women to assume more significant roles in the recycling value chain. Cordaid, with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation, is implementing the RESILIENT project (Recycling for the Environment by Strengthening Income and Livelihood of the Entrepreneurs) in Dhaka North City Corporation and Narayanganj City Corporation.

This project aims to enhance plastic waste management through capacitating both formal and informal plastic waste actors and collaborating with local service providers, city corporations, civil society organizations, and the private sector.

The Coca-Cola system in Bangladesh and The Coca-Cola Foundation are playing a significant role in supporting Bangladesh to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. Local initiatives of the company’s global initiatives such as Plastic collection, Water Stewardship and Women Business Centre actively contribute to community development.