NIGERIA – Nigerian clean-tech plastic waste recycling company Kaltani has secured US$4 million in seed funding to expand its recycling operations across the country.
The startup will use the funding to open 20 new collection and aggregation centers across Nigeria and increase its staff strength to over 500 people.
This development will augment Kaltani’s capacity substantially, allowing the company to recycle up to 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year.
Founded in Nigeria by Engineer Obi Charles Nnanna, Kaltani aims to solve Africa’s growing plastic waste crisis by promoting the circular economy and recycling best practices.
The startup has a team of 100 staff spread across its collection centers, recycling factory, and offices, responsible for collecting bottles and other plastic waste.
The wastes are then transported to its collection centers for aggregation and processing and eventually taken to its recycling factory.
At the factory, plastics are then converted into hot-washed PET flakes, and PE and PP pellets which are then sold to FMCG companies for thermoform, sheet, packaging, bottling, and fiber applications.
Kaltani’s technology utilizes data analytics, predictive analytics, and geo-mapping to ensure transparency and traceability throughout the value chain.
The startup now aims to expand its operations into other countries in Africa which also experiences plastic waste management problems.
“The world has a plastic pollution crisis. Plastic waste is an environmental disaster causing environmental degradation to our oceans, aquatic life, the air we breathe, and our health,” said Engineer Obi Charles Nnanna, founder of Kaltani.
“With the amount of plastic waste produced set to continue skyrocketing, the world desperately needs actionable and scalable solutions.”
The African continent produces more than 19 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, of which 17 million tonnes are mismanaged.
This means that only 4% of the waste is recycled. The amount of waste is expected to triple by the year 2060 in the business-as-usual scenario.
Addressing the plastic waste pollution problem requires more holistic approaches, focused on upstream activities particular transitioning from a linear “use-throw” model to a manufacturing model.
Startups such as Kaltani and others are bringing hope to the continent with their approach focused on recycling aligned with radical behavioral changes in individuals and organizations.
The startup, according to Nnanna has already proven that its model works effectively and efficiently with a thorough A-Z value chain solution.