[ad_1]
Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Friday opened the country’s first paper processing plant to recycle white paper materials.
“This factory should unlock opportunities for small to medium-scale entrepreneurs, not the current prevailing situation of exporting jobs to neighboring countries, as we do not have much benefit for our waste,” said Masisi at the opening ceremony.
He highlighted that Botswana lags behind in appreciating the separation of waste at source. “We have no strong culture of waste management,” said Masisi, imploring the nation to desist from haphazardly throwing waste by the roadside.
According to Masisi, the plant aligns with the country’s environmental goals stipulated in Vision 2036, the national development blueprint, and the government is committed to creating a strong waste management industry, then collecting and baling for export to South Africa and other nations.
Sharing the president’s sentiments, Minister of Trade and Industry Mmusi Kgafela also urged the nation to embrace new ways of doing things.
“Let us get rid of the mindset that waste belongs to the dump site, and create the much-needed employment from waste management, while contributing to the green economy,” said Kgafela, warning that methane gas emanating from waste has a serious contribution to global warming.
“Let us find ways to reduce waste,” said Kgafela, emphasizing that the country also stands to benefit as a global recycling player.
The waste paper processing plant is located in Mogoditshane village, west of Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.
[ad_2]
Source link