Three Kenyan companies developing varying solutions to address the plastic menace are among 10 finalists of the Afri–Plastics Challenge.
Chemolex Limited, Lwanda Biotech and Ecococo Homecare are now among 10 shortlisted competitors who will each receive £75 000(Approx. Ksh.10 million) to invest in and develop their ideas.
Winners of the competition will be announced in January 2023. The overall winner will bag £750 000(Approx. Ksh. 100 million) while the runner-up will receive £250 000(Ksh. 35 million) while the third place winner will pocket £100 000(Ksh. 15 million) to help them further their solutions.
Other teams selected for the competition are drawn from Rwanda, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda and Nigeria.
Each of the Kenyan companies participating in the challenge has demonstrated the ability to develop a product that tackles the plastic challenge from a local perspective.
For Chemolex, the bioplastic solution they’ve created is a recyclable, reusable and 100% biodegradable that can be used in the manufacturing of diapers as well as packaging materials for food and products.
The other Kenyan participant Lwanda Biotech is also developing biodegradable bioplastic derived from blending fibre composites of agricultural waste/feedstock with a non-toxic, inert plasticiser.
EcoCoco Homecare manufactures multi-purpose homecare products from natural coconut fibre. Their range of products includes scouring pads, scrubbing brushes and brooms with coconut fibre bristles.
The competition is funded by Nesta Challenges, a UK-based enterprise that organizes global competitions that incentivize cutting-edge innovations with a social impact.
Here is the full list of the 10 participants of the Afri-Plastics challenge.
● Chemolex, Kenya
● Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI), Uganda
● SHE ECO RESPONSE, South Africa
● Toto Safi, Rwanda
● Lwanda Biotech, Kenya
● Regenize, South Africa
● EcoCoCo Homecare, Kenya
● Well of Science, Nigeria
● Derocolbags Packaging Limited Company, Ghana
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