KARACHI: The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded $500,000 to the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to launch a pilot initiative aimed at improving plastic waste collection and strengthening Pakistan’s PET recycling chain.
The project, “Sustainability and Decent Work in Pakistan’s PET Recycling Value Chain,” will be implemented in the Islamabad Capital Territory, which generates over 3,300 tonnes of municipal waste daily, nearly 80% of which is recyclable.
The partnership brings together UNOPS and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The agreement was signed in Islamabad by Dr Faisal Hashmi of Coca-Cola Pakistan, Jennifer Ankrom of UNOPS, and Geir Tonstol of the ILO.
Key components include analysing existing gaps in the PET value chain, providing occupational safety training for waste pickers and handlers, organising cooperatives for informal workers, and mapping PET waste flows. The ILO will lead efforts related to labour rights, safety, and formalisation.
Coca-Cola Foundation President Carlos Pagoaga said the collaboration aims to improve waste collection while supporting informal waste workers. Dr Hashmi noted that the funding will help deliver meaningful community benefits, while Ankrom said strengthening recycling systems can reduce pollution and boost livelihoods. Tonstol emphasised the need to pair technical improvements with better working conditions.
Pakistan produces roughly two million tonnes of plastic waste annually, 86% of which is mismanaged. The organisations say insights from the pilot could inform a national model for sustainable, inclusive waste management.
