rePATRN: experience with informal waste pickers in Ghana

Photo © Adobe Stock

Jeffrey Provencal
Founder and Head of Business Development at rePATRN in Ghana

In Ghana, the combination of a rapidly growing population and an increasing affl uence led to a dramatic rise in waste volumes. Plastic, and especially plastic bottle waste, is among the biggest challenge in the country. Informal waste pickers collect plastic, among other valuable materials, but the country lacks enforcement of waste management policies and adequate infrastructure to manage it.

The idea of rePATRN as a recycling company started from an observation: apart from one company based in South Africa, no one was off ering a service to recycle PET plastic at industrial scale, despite its wide use. rePATRN’s ultimate purpose is to create the capacity to recycle PET plastic in large volumes, while leveraging the informal sector.