ISLAMABAD – Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF) is funding a $500,000 pilot project in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to enhance Pakistan’s PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycling value chain. The project, titled “Sustainability & Decent Work in Pakistan’s PET Recycling Value Chain,” will be implemented in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), which generates over 3,300 tons of municipal solid waste daily, of which an estimated 79% is recyclable.
The partnership was finalised in Islamabad with the participation of Dr. Faisal Hashmi, Senior Director of Public Affairs, Communication & Sustainability, Coca-Cola Pakistan; Ms. Jennifer Ankrom, Country Manager, UNOPS Pakistan; and Geir Tonstol, Country Director, ILO Pakistan, alongside representatives from both UNOPS and ILO.
Key activities of the project include conducting a comprehensive analysis of challenges in the PET recycling value chain, providing training on occupational safety and health for waste pickers and handlers, facilitating the formation of cooperatives for waste pickers, and conducting a diagnostic study to map the PET value chain. ILO, as the UN specialized agency for decent work, will contribute expertise on labor rights, occupational safety, and worker formalization.
Carlos Pagoaga, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation, said the collaboration demonstrates the Foundation’s commitment to advancing waste collection and management systems while ensuring that informal waste pickers receive recognition, protection, and opportunities. Dr. Faisal Hashmi echoed this sentiment, noting that the project represents a tangible step toward creating shared value in the local community.
UNOPS Pakistan Country Manager Jennifer Ankrom highlighted that by strengthening the PET recycling value chain, the initiative not only tackles the urgent challenge of plastic pollution but also empowers Pakistan’s informal waste pickers with safer and more dignified livelihoods. Geir Tonstol, ILO Country Director, emphasized that improving the PET recycling chain requires not only technical solutions but also a strong focus on people, and this partnership presents an important opportunity to enhance working conditions and promote decent work practices across the system.
According to WWF, nearly two million tonnes of plastic waste are generated annually in Pakistan, with 86% not managed properly. Like many developing nations, Pakistan faces challenges in waste collection and management, leading to serious environmental issues. The results of this pilot project are expected to encourage the adoption of a similar framework for sustainable and inclusive waste collection, management, and recycling at the national level.
PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate, a type of plastic.
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