Morocco: Waste recovery and raising awareness

True to its role of supporting and promoting economic relations between Morocco and Switzerland, the CCSM held its second webinar on 14 September on the theme: “Waste recovery in Morocco: What sustainable solutions for our cities?”. Nearly a hundred people joined this virtual meeting, moderated by Christophe de Figueiredo, President of the CCSM, and Pierre-Yves Morier, Deputy Head of Mission and Counsellor at the Embassy of Switzerland in Morocco. It was a highly instructive event that benefited from the participation of several personalities*, such as the guest of honour, Aziz Rabbah, Minister of Energy, Mines and the Environment.

“The debate on waste recovery is essential today and will be in the years to come for various reasons. Cities are looking for a real business model. The current economic model of waste management remains limited. It is necessary to encourage the development of ecosystems that offer an integrated solution, by creating collaborative synergy around the principles of the circular economy. Morocco is seeking advanced technologies in waste management and urban development. There is a real willingness involving a good number of Moroccan experts who are striving to find sustainable solutions to the waste problem in our country. We also need to form joint ventures with our Swiss counterparts to develop a green economy that creates added value.” It was with these words that Aziz Rabbah, Minister of Energy, Mines and the Environment, opened this virtual meeting.

A national programme

To tackle this issue, in 2019 Morocco adopted a national strategy that will completely change the game in waste management in the years to come. Called the National Strategy for Waste Reduction and Recovery (SNRVD), it is expected to create 25,000 jobs and contribute 2% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to Mohamed Benyahia, Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, the national strategy is based on priorities broken down into several actions. “First and foremost, the aim is to strengthen the legislative and regulatory framework for waste reduction and recovery, to finance sustainable waste management, to develop a circular economy conducive to the creation of green jobs, to introduce a system of selective waste sorting, to set up industrial channels for the environmentally sound recovery of waste, to promote Research & Development, and to conduct communication and awareness campaigns”, the speaker explained.

This strategy is supported by national environmental stakeholders, notably the Coalition for Waste Recovery. “As a genuine body for consultation and proposals, COVAD offers a framework for national and international partnerships for concrete actions aimed at accelerating the efforts being made”, explains Mohamed Chaïbi, President of COVAD.

In this context, Mohamed Chaïbi set out the Coalition’s ambition to transform waste into energy resources, stating that its management must be taken into account by all components of society.

Switzerland, from disposal to recovery

In terms of waste management, over recent decades Switzerland has made sure that disposal is as environmentally friendly as possible, in particular by committing to effective reduction through optimised recycling. According to Edi Medilanski, Policy Advisor at the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), “Switzerland’s participation in climate protection in developing countries will generate attractive export opportunities through transfers of technology, knowledge and funds. At the same time, Switzerland will contribute to the economic and social stability of these countries by supporting sustainable, low-carbon development”.

To this end, the Foundation for Climate Protection and Carbon Offset (KliK) promotes projects in Switzerland and abroad that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thus actively contributing to sustainable climate protection. “For the period 2021-2030, the CO₂ Act stipulates that the KliK Foundation must acquire emission reductions abroad for a volume of around 34 million tonnes of CO₂e”, says Gaëlle Fumeaux, Co-Head for Switzerland at the KliK Foundation.

Sharing experiences

Waste recovery remains underexploited in Morocco. Through its subsidiary Geocycle Maroc, LafargeHolcim Maroc intends to strengthen its position in this market, which has a bright future. Household, industrial, medical… Almost all types of waste are recovered at Geocycle’s platforms, whose overall processing capacity exceeds 200,000 tonnes per year. “Geocycle Maroc has a one-of-a-kind site. The Oum Azza site, in the Rabat region, makes it possible to treat household waste sustainably using a shredding and bio-drying system to produce solid recovered fuel, an alternative to imported fossil fuel”, explains Hind Baddag, Director at Geocycle Maroc.

Through this experience, the Group has developed, as part of an R&D partnership, an innovative technical solution that is accessible to emerging countries. In terms of development prospects, the company plans to tackle categories of waste that require sophisticated treatment in order to provide a local solution.

For Abla Benslimane, Corporate Affairs Director at Philip Morris, protecting the environment and combating littering remain among the priorities of the group’s sustainable development strategy. “Minimising the waste generated by our production sites, reusing and recycling materials and disposing of waste responsibly are at the very heart of our corporate strategy and at the top of our sustainability priorities”, the speaker explains. Indeed, 98% of the group’s factories are ISO 14001 certified.

*The speakers

• Aziz Rabbah, Minister of Energy, Mines and the Environment
• Edi Medilanski, Policy Advisor at the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)
• Gaëlle Fumeaux, Co-Head for Switzerland at the Foundation for Climate Protection and Carbon Offset (KliK)
• Mohamed Chaïbi, President of the Coalition for Waste Recovery (COVAD)
• Abla Benslimane, Corporate Affairs Director at Philip Morris
• Hind Baddag, Director at Geocycle Maroc
• Mohamed Benyahia, Secretary General of the Department of the Environment at the Ministry of Energy, Mines and the Environment

3 questions for Abla Benslimane, Corporate Affairs Director, Philip Morris

How did this concept come about within the company?

Sustainable development has always been part of PMI’s DNA. However, as part of our company’s transformation, sustainability is now at the heart of our strategy. In other words, PMI promotes an integrated vision of sustainability throughout its value chain and its business activity. That is why environmental issues are an inherent part of our priorities. For us, sustainability begins with taking every possible step to replace cigarettes with less harmful, smoke-free alternatives, in order to achieve our vision of a smoke-free future. We know that we cannot succeed in the long term without making our company more sustainable, and sustainability cannot be achieved without transformation. It is about changing the very nature of our company and our activities.

What is Philip Morris’s strategy in this area?

Thanks to innovation, cutting-edge science and substantial investment, PMI has developed a range of smoke-free products that have the potential to significantly reduce the harm associated with smoking. Our ambition is to stop selling cigarettes altogether, while offering smokers reduced-risk alternatives developed on a scientific basis. For PMI, this is a comprehensive approach that includes the impact on society, respect for the environment and the people concerned, and finally the creation of long-term value for all stakeholders, whether that means operating with excellence, as in the sustainable management of the supply chain, taking care, particularly from a socio-economic point of view, of the people we work with, or ensuring the protection and preservation of the environment through climate protection, waste prevention, etc. To this end, we have developed 25 parameters (business transformation metrics) to measure and assess our progress. These parameters are publicly available, illustrating the allocation of our resources as well as the progress we are making. For example, we are proud to be recognised as a global leader for our corporate action on climate change. In 2020, for the sixth year in a row, PMI was included on the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) Climate A List for its overall action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change and for the transparency of its reporting practices.

What actions have been taken as part of this strategy?

We are committed to reducing cigarette butt litter and we are expanding our programmes to address this issue. Our goal is to bring tangible and measurable improvements to the cigarette butt problem, to be accepted as part of the solution to the litter problem and to be recognised as a reliable and committed partner in the implementation of effective anti-litter programmes. In 2019, PMI also introduced a toolkit for developing and implementing effective campaigns against cigarette butt litter, including measurement, monitoring, engagement and reporting.