The Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ), through the Ministry of Environment, Climate & Wildlife (MoECW) and the Environmental Management Agency, and in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is implementing the project titled “Advancing Circular Economy Approaches to Reduce Plastic Pollution.” Funded by the Japan Suplementary Fund, this project aims to facilitate the transition to a circular economy for plastics in Zimbabwe through the following objectives:
- Quantifying microplastic pollution levels in the Zambezi River basin as a result of Zimbabwe’s plastic waste.
- Updating the plastics flow inventory in Zimbabwe and identifying hotspots for plastic leakage.
- Identifying incentives for recycling, reuse, and decoupling within large value chains in Zimbabwe.
- Developing draft guidelines for plastics recycling and reuse, along with a roadmap for the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme in Zimbabwe.
In this context, a two-day inception workshop was held on September 12th and 13th, 2024, at the Monomotapa Hotel in Harare. The workshop brought together 68 participants from the private sector, government institutions, industry, and the media. UNEP was also represented, with six representatives participating online. The workshop aimed to gather insights and opinions from key stakeholders to inform the final project report.
