An environmental cleaning company, Chanja Datti Ltd, says it has established five recyclable waste collection centres in Abuja to promote youth empowerment and environmental cleanliness.

The Managing Director of the company, Mrs Olufunto Boroffice, disclosed this on Friday at the Sensitisation and Awareness Walk in Abuja to kick-start the commemoration of the 2019 World Recycling Day.

Global Recycling Day is being celebrated in every March 18 to raise the consciousness of people toward recycling of wastes to protect and preserve the environment.

Boroffice said that the recyclable waste collection centres were established in Garki Old Market, Wuse Market, Gwarinpa, Kado and Lugbe.

She said that her company in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Jaiz Bank Plc and Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) operated “Trash to Cash Recycling Hubs Project’’ in the centres.

According to him, the project is aimed at buying and collecting recyclable waste at the sum of N20 per kg.

“Recyclable wastes include cans, papers, cartons, batteries, pet bottles, hard plastics and pure water sachet,’’ she said.

Boroffice said that UNDP supported the project by providing sizeable containers to each centre, adding that two people in each centre had been empowered by the UNDP to collect recyclable waste.

According to him, these two workers are also expected to open “Green Saving Account’’ with Jaiz Bank Plc for anybody who brings recyclable waste for collection.

“It means that N20, 000 will be credited to the account of any scavenger or resident that brings 1000Kg of recyclable wastes.

“This is a waste to wealth project because it empowers people and helps in cleaning our environment,’’ Boroffice said.

The AEPB Head of Information and Outreach Unit, Mallam Muktar Ibrahim, said that the board collaborated with the project to preserve environment.

Muktar urged residents of Abuja to sort out recyclable and non recyclable wastes before taking them to the collection centres.

According to him, the project will go a long way in earning money for people to sustain their livelihood.

Mr Kabri Muhammed, who spoke on behalf of scavengers in Garki Old Market, commended the “Trash to Cash Recycling Hubs Project’’, saying that the project had been assisting them in sustaining their livelihood.