Page 29 - Plastics News June - 2020

New project launches to tackle Africa's plastic New fund to tackle the plastics problem in UK
pollution
usinesses in Gloucestershire can apply for a share in
xperts from around the world are joining forces to Ba fund to explore new ideas and innovations to bring
Etackle plastic pollution in Africa using the latest change to the UK's plastics manufacturing and
digital innovations, thanks to a new research project consumption patterns. The £20 million Plastics
led by De Montfort University Leicester (DMU). The Research and Innovation Fund (PRIF) engages Britain's
project titled 'Digital Innovations for Transitioning to a best scientists and innovators to help move the country
Circular Plastic Economy (DITCh Plastic)', has been towards a more sustainable approach to plastics. It is
managed by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and
delivered via the Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council (EPSRC), Innovate UK, and the Natural
Environment Research Council (NERC). The fund has
three parts which involves: Leadership and knowledge
exchange - £2 million, Research: Plastics 'creativity'
funding - £8 million, Business led research and
development: Plastics 'innovation' funding - £10
million.

launched to help design a framework that will enable
Africa to transition to a circular plastic economy. By
bringing together the continent's leading
innovation/technology hubs and universities, as well
as third sector organisations and top UK universities,
researchers hope to develop a sustainable 'closed loop'
system in Africa whereby plastic materials flow The fund seeks to deliver strategic networking and
constantly through the economy, rather than being research that will coordinate existing knowledge across
used once and discarded. Dr Muyiwa Oyinlola, the UK, bringing new ideas and rapid solutions through
Associate Professor in Engineering for Sustainable
Development at DMU, is the lead researcher for the research and innovation landscape. It will support the
project. He will be working alongside colleagues Dr polymer, packaging, retail and waste sectors, as well as
Kutoma Wakunuma and Dr Seun Kolade. local councils responsible for waste collection. UKRI is
helping the UK work towards a zero plastic waste
"In order to sustainably tackle plastic pollution in
Africa, we need to do things differently and look at solution. UKRI and Policy Connect are collaborating on
ways to grow a global network that can benefit the Zero Plastic Waste, an event series to examine how to
continent,” said Dr Oyinlola. By combining its achieve the vision of Zero Plastic Waste and make the
extensive existing networks and infrastructure, the UK a global leader on the issue. Earlier Policy Connect
team will work with different levels of stakeholders,
held a reception in the House of Lords to discuss the
including international organisations, governments
and at the community level. The project will produce a sustainability priorities of the new Parliament
Pan-African platform to create public engagement for providing a forum for policy-makers, business leaders,
knowledge exchange and capacity building in industry members, academics and third sector
sustainably managing plastic waste and pollution. The
organisations to discuss the key challenges in
platform will bring together existing and innovative
processes that have been designed specifically for sustainability that need to be tackled over the next five
plastic reduction, recycling and reuse in different years.
environments. “We want to help African businesses to
upscale,” continued Dr Oyinlola.

June 2020 29 Plastics News