Speaking on this occasion, Chakib Aljpresident of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), stressed that “for about fifteen years, the plastics industry has experienced remarkable expansion in our country. It displays significant growth rates and contributes significantly to the creation of added value and jobs, generating more than 28 billion dirhams in turnover and employing more than 400,000 people, directly and indirectly.”
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Although discreet, added the boss of the bosses, the sector is in reality one of the drivers of the national economy since 90% of its production is intended for industry, targeting customers operating in the agriculture, agri-food, health, aeronautics and automotive sectors.
Welcoming the choice of the theme “Green plastics processing, a lever for materializing the integrated industrial coalition for economic development and sustainable investment”, Mr. Alj recalls that plastic indirectly participates in the ecological efforts of other industries citing the automobile as an example which uses it more and more on electric vehicles to reduce their weight. “Plastic has an attractive carbon footprint, much less consuming than paper or glass for example. The whole issue lies in its recycling, since 100 tonnes of plastic end up in our waste every day, of which only 15 or 20% are recovered,” said the president of the CGEM.
Green plastics: an economic opportunity
Abundant in the same sense, Malika Mezzourvice-president of the Casablanca City Council, affirmed that the challenge facing industrialists in the plastics is of size. “It is time to reinvent our approach to plastic production and consumption,” she insisted before continuing: “The transition to green plastics is not only an environmental necessity, but an economic opportunity. By adopting sustainable practices, we not only help reduce the ecological footprint, but also stimulate innovation, create new jobs and strengthen national economic competitiveness in global markets.
At the same time, she highlighted a range of concrete actions undertaken by the City aimed at responding to ecological imperatives.
Pour Ali Seddikigeneral director of the Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency (AMDIE), “plastic is everywhere around us, hence the importance of recycling”. It is in this sense that AMDIE is in the process of developing and designing a real program and several actions in favor of Moroccan SMEs and VSEs. At the same time, projects are being carried out to further support the development of the sector and to be a force for proposals in this context of climate emergency.
For his part, Hicham El Haid, president of the FMP, insisted on the imperative of setting up an agenda and a feasible cooperation framework to overcome the ecological barriers faced by the plastics industry. The organization of a sector specialized in the plastic recycling and reducing the carbon footprint should now rise to the top of the priorities. “It will absolutely be necessary to legislate on this,” he recommended.
More than ever, the FMP advocates openness towards sustainable innovation as Dr. Nabil Saoufits Deputy Managing Director appointed, on the sidelines of these events, Africa ambassador for the Plastic Summit, which will take place in October 2025 in Europe.
The Forum, which ends this Friday, June 28, addresses current topics such as “Moroccan Green Plastics: National Strategy, Deployment and Perspectives”; “The Impact of Decarbonization of Plastics on Intersectoral Synergies, Investment and Moroccan Industrial Performance” and “Artificial Intelligence and Skills Development in the Plastics Industry”.
