An aged lorry carries a pile of crushed plastic bottles to a recycling factory around the Gebrael area. With close to 15 million liters of bottled water consumed every day in Ethiopia, concerns over biodegradability prompted a decision to ban imports of the blue masterbatch last year. Despite the removal of the input, which used to cost 50 million dollars annually, prices have increased by 20pc since the decision. A vibrant plastic recycling industry could provide some respite for manufacturers who are constantly plagued by foreign currency shortages.