On February 27th, it was reported that Morocco launched a project called "Morocco's Plastic Pollution Circular Solution," aiming to reduce plastic pollution and increase recycling rates, with a focus on the food processing industry and agriculture.
The project, led by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and implemented in cooperation with Morocco's Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has a total investment of US$6 million, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The project focuses on reducing the proportion of difficult-to-recycle single-use plastics in production and application, expanding the use of safe and renewable materials in food packaging, attracting private capital investment in green industries, supporting companies to provide alternatives to non-degradable plastics, improving safety standards for recycled food packaging materials, and broadening financing channels for the recycling and bioplastics industries.
Data shows that Morocco discards nearly 50,000 tons of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles annually, with a current recycling rate of approximately 40%. According to the National Circular Economy Roadmap, Morocco plans to increase the recycling rate to 70% by 2030. Meanwhile, the European Union, a major export market for Morocco, is tightening its regulatory standards for plastic packaging. The Moroccan government stated that advancing plastic governance ahead of schedule will help improve product compliance and enhance international market competitiveness.
Currently, several companies have already implemented related practices. Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company is developing a system to recycle waste plastic bottles into food-grade new bottles; Altecplast in Casablanca can recycle approximately 1,000 tons of plastic film per month; SMO Solar Pyrolysis in Marrakech uses solar energy to process plastic and organic waste; and Mika in Essaouira recycles coastal plastic for reprocessing. In addition, industry organizations such as the Moroccan Federation of Plastics are promoting connections between local companies and investment institutions.
The Moroccan government stated that this project will integrate existing resources, expand the scale of the industry, and further promote the country's transition to a circular economy model.
