The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation, has launched Fair Recycling 2.0 to transform plastic waste management into dignified livelihoods and formal employment opportunities for refugees and displaced people in Kenya and Uganda. Africa faces a rapid surge in plastic waste alongside growing refugee populations, many of whom rely on informal waste collection with limited rights, protective equipment, or stable incomes. The initiative builds on a successful pilot in Kenya (2021–2024) and aims to integrate waste pickers into the formal economy, strengthen recycling value chains, promote fair pricing, and develop sustainable waste management solutions in urban and refugee settings.
By partnering with private-sector actors in recycling and digital technology, Fair Recycling 2.0 enhances livelihoods, supports environmental sustainability, and contributes to the green transition in East Africa. The program focuses on areas with high plastic pollution, limited recycling infrastructure, and elevated unemployment among youth, women, and refugees, fostering safer working environments and more resilient, self-reliant communities.
