Morocco has launched a 60m dirham project to cut plastic pollution and increase recycling, with a focus on the food and farming industry.
The programme, called “Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution in Morocco”, is led by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation with the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development and the United Nations Development Programme. Funding comes from the Global Environment Facility.
It is part of the GEF’s “Plastic Reboot” initiative, which runs in 15 countries. The plan looks at the full life cycle of plastics, from design and production to reuse and recycling.
Officials say the goal is to reduce hard-to-recycle single-use plastics, increase the use of safe recycled materials in packaging and attract private investment in green businesses.
The agro-food sector was chosen because it uses large amounts of plastic in packaging and farming. The European Union, Morocco’s main export market, is introducing stricter rules on plastic packaging. The government says adapting now will help Moroccan products stay competitive.
Morocco throws away nearly 50,000 tonnes of PET bottles each year. About 40% are collected for recycling. The country aims to raise that rate to 70% by 2030 under a new national circular economy roadmap.
The project will support companies to replace problematic plastics, improve safety standards for recycled materials used in food packaging and encourage funding for recycling and bioplastics.
Several businesses are already testing new models. Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company is developing a system to recycle used bottles into new food-grade bottles. In Casablanca, Altecplast recycles up to 1,000 tonnes of plastic film each month. SMO Solar Pyrolysis in Marrakech uses solar energy to treat plastic and organic waste. In Essaouira, Mika collects coastal plastic and turns it into new products.
Industry groups, including the Moroccan Federation of Plastics, are working to connect local firms with investors.
Officials say the new project will help scale up these efforts and strengthen Morocco’s move towards a circular economy.
