WFP Ethiopia has successfully implemented a recycling and reverse logistics initiative. By leveraging their existing fleet, they efficiently manage diverse materials like packaging, jerrycans, vehicle tires, and engine oil, resulting in considerable cost savings and a reduced environmental impact.
The Context:
Ethiopia's large humanitarian crisis, with food insecurity and malnutrition being a major concern across the country, relies heavily on WFP's in-kind food assistance. This generates substantial packaging and fleet waste, posing environmental and reputational risks. However, a robust recycling and reverse logistics system could yield significant benefits: cost savings, efficiency, mitigated risks and reduced operational impact on the environment. It could also contribute to a more circular economy through supporting local recycling, job creation, and partnerships which are key to growing Ethiopia's nascent recycling industry.