DILI, 12 may 2022 (TATOLI)- The Mercy Corps and the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, and Industry (MTCI) today launched the first catalog of plastic upcycling recycling in Timor – Leste.
Catalog of plastic upcycling recycling is a process of recycling the plastic material into something with higher value.
Mercy Corps Country Director, Jules Keane, informed that this catalog has complied as a key element of Mercy Corps Timor – Leste‘s circular economy program, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, and Industry of Timor – Leste and the Plastics Solution Alliance.
“Mercy Corps thanked the organizations and entrepreneurs who accepted to present their creation in this catalog. They are Timor – Leste‘s recycling heroes and this publication is a tribute to their skills and creativity. By sharing their ingenuity with the world,’’ Mercy Corps Country Director, Jules Keane told reporters in Nova Turismo Lecidere Dili, this thursday.
Jules Keane explained, that the catalog had two main attentions: Connect these organizations with new clients – to stimulate their program and ultimately, make it more economically feasible to collect, sort, and recycle materials in Timor – Leste and the second is inspire vocation to support the emergence of a growing movement of reduce, reuse and recycle change markers in Dili and beyond.
like many countries around the world, Timor – Leste faces the urgent challenge of finding the solution to manage a growing stream of plastic: “Currently plastic is burned in trash piles, clogs critical drainage infrastructure or washes up on the country ‘s shores, harming Timor – Leste ‘s environment and economic opportunities,”
According to Jules Keane, the improper disposal of plastic not only harms the natural beauty of Timor – Leste, but threatens the health of communities, undermines the potential of the tourism, and industry, and increase vulnerability to climate and urban food risk for which Timor – Leste is not adequately prepared.
“In response, the Plastic Solutions Alliance seeks to advance Timor – Leste ‘s transition to plastic neutrality whereby unnecessary plastic use is curtailed and replaced, plastic waste is collected and recycled into locally sought-after products, and capacity to respond to natural disaster and climate change risks are strengthened”
Jules Keane stressed that by applying circular economy principles and giving new lives to materials that would otherwise go to waste, the creation of the organizations featured in this catalog contributes to Eliminating plastics.
“The catalog will contribute to Eliminate the plastics we don’t need by providing alternatives to single-use plastic items, Encouraging innovation to ensure that the plastics we do need are reusable, recyclable, or compostable, and Circulate the plastics we use to keep them in the economy and out of the environment,” She said.
Through original design and business ideas “They offer early alternatives to the dominant “take -make waste’’ model that help keep technical and biological material flowing longer within the production cycle and ultimately, help save guard valuable resources and preserve the environment.
At the same place the Vice Minister of Tourism, Commerce, and Industry, Inicia Texeira, said this program is one of the strategies to help the Timorese community, how to get the opportunity to the creative industry when utilizing the rubbish.
“We feel that the rubbish in Timor Leste is a social problem but when we organize the rubbish, it can give the solution when to transform the plastic waste into the economic income through the art of recycling to sustain the family and can open the work opportunity from themselves,’’ said the Vice Minister of MTCI, Inicia Texeira.
In this opportunity, the Vise Minister of MTCI committed to continuing, to work together with the Mercy Corps and the other relevant partners to support the small entrepreneurs such as Klibur Badaen, Tradisional Homan Ale – Ale Timor, Kreativu Mak Susesu Ba Futuru, Assiasaun Halibur Defisiensia Matan Timor – Leste, Loja Matak Hasatil, Miniatur Uma, Sentru Estudo Resiklajen, Unity Art, Building Landscaping Caltech, Husi Rural Sai Global (Finoliko) which had implemented Plastic Upcycling Recycling in Timor – Leste.
So far this catalog program of plastic upcycling recycling in Timor – Leste launched by the MTCI and Mercy Corps today with the financial support from European Union (EU) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor : Nelia Borges
