.Collectors earning N34,000 monthly; N403,000 annually
By Franklin Alli
PET bottles recycling, a new line of business which sprang from the foods and beverages industry currently generates about 1,800 jobs across value chains — pickers, collection centres and recycling plants. PET bottles are containers made of a hydrocarbon calledPolyEthyleneTerephthalate, orPET, for short.
Investigations revealed that the new industry which focuses on recycling of PET bottles, cans, crown-corks and labels, is being driven by multinational companies operating under an umbrella body called Nigerian Beverage Alliance. Its members comprise Coca-Cola Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Nestle Nigeria Plc; Nigeria Bottling Company and Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc.
The recycling is done in partnership with Alkem Nigeria Ltd, a former textile company, which is now using its machines to recycle bottles for beverage industries. Mr. Clem Ugorji, the Association’s Secretary/ Director of Public Affairs and Communications, Coca-Cola, told Financial Vanguardthat although these companies are competing fiercely for market shares, they are also working together behind the scenes to drive the recycling economy.
“We do not want to be part of the problem of waste littering our streets, canals, instead we want to be part of the success story. We ensure that litters from our products do not constitute hazards to the business, the environment and the economy,” he said.
According to him, across Nigeria’s cities and villages, as in many other developing countries, solid waste, including PET bottles and other non-biodegradable materials, end up at dumpsites and landfills, often clogging drains and waterways, contributing to health and environmental hazards.
“In response to this challenge, in 2005, Coca-Cola , in collaboration with Alkem Nigeria Limited, a synthetic fiber manufacturer, initiated a buyback and recycling scheme for used PET bottles, regardless of source or brand. Together, the partners launched Nigeria’s first bottles-to-fiber recycling operation. Coca-Cola is the only player in the beverage sector that is investing in this initiative and was joined in 2009 by its bottling partner, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/pet-bottles-recycling-generates-1800-jobs-across-value-chains/

So how does one becomes part of this recycling business and I would like to know they are paid.