August Editions

Photo by Joan Bradeletti

Around the world, uncollected trash is a very big problem and Africa is not left out in this. However, in the midst of this big problem, waste collection and recycling is a multi-billion dollar industry in developed countries. Africa as well, is picking up in this waste to wealth game, in this piece we highlight some of the players changing the game and setting the pace of recycling in Africa

According to the World Bank, Africa currently produces about 70 million tons of waste every year. A few smart Africans are already building wealth from waste and creating jobs for hundreds of Africans. The success of these inspiring entrepreneurs proves that there can be profitable business ideas in very unlikely and niche parts of African society. With its rapid urbanization and growing economies, waste production in Africa will exceed 160 million tons by the year 2025.

As the income and spending power of the average African continues to rise, more goods will be consumed leading to even more waste. Recent estimates place the average African individual waste generation at half a kilogram and businesses producing up to two kilograms of waste every single day! However, the amount of waste generated on the continent is estimated to grow very fast over the coming years.

With several opportunities ranging from waste collection, inorganic waste processing and organic waste processing, these recycling movements have shown the huge potential in Africa’s large and growing waste market. We highlight some of these movements leading the waste to wealth revolution in Africa, changing the game and setting the pace of recycling in Africa.

Collect-a-Can, South Africa

Collect-a-Can (Pty) Ltd is a South Africa based can recovery and recycling organization. It is a joint venture between Arcelor Mittal South Africa and Nampak.

For over two decades, Collect-a-Can has been at the forefront of minimizing the negative impact of used metal cans on the environment through the recovery of all types of used metal cans.

They are a recovery as opposed to a profit-driven company, and have proven that they are self-sustainable by managing their operations and cost structures at optimum levels for over 22 years, assuring the respective southern African governments, environmentalists and the public of their long-term stability.

Since Collect-a-Can started, southern Africa’s used can recovery rate has improved from 18% to 72%. Currently, metal cans form less than 1% of the total rubbish that ends up in landfills due to their value and recyclability. Collect-a-Can prides itself as a community based initiative. They work actively within various communities, encouraging citizens from all walks of life to assist them in their can collecting efforts.Their ‘Cash for Cans’ initiative encourages cans to be collected and sold to Collect-a-Can for cash, because they know that recovery and recycling aids job creation in many communities and creates an additional source of income for schools, non-governmental organizations, and other community groups. This initiative safeguards the livelihood of thousands of unemployed South Africans and allows community development across the southern African region.

YELI, Uganda

Andrew Mupuya founded YELI, Uganda’s first paper bag production company. He got the idea to start this business in 2008, when the Ugandan government put a ban on the use of plastic bags in order to reduce the environmental damage it was causing.

To start the paper production business on a small scale, Andrew figured out he needed about 36,000 Ugandan shillings ($14). He raised $11 from selling 70 kilos of used plastic bottles and then borrowed the remaining $3 from his school teacher.

Andrew taught himself to make paper bags by watching videos on the internet. Today, Andrew’s paper bag company now employs over 20 people and produces more than 20,000 paper bags every week. All the bags are produced by hand as Andrew cannot yet afford a machine.

His long list of clients includes restaurants, retail stores, supermarkets, medical centers, as well as multinational companies like Samsung. His company, YELI, has made about 1,000 niche bags for the local stores of the electronics company.‎

Sources:

http://www.smallstarter.com/get-inspired/africa-top-5-entrepreneurs-in-the-waste-recycling-business

http://www.collectacan.co.za/index.php/about-us

Glass makes up a large component of household and industrial waste due to its weight and density. The glass component in municipal waste is usually made up of bottles, broken glassware, light bulbs and other items.

Glass is made from liquid sand. It is be made by heating ordinary sand (mostly made of silicon dioxide) until it melts and turns into a liquid. Sand melts at a very high temperature about 1700⁰C. Other minerals such as lime, soda ash and some other additives are added to make glass.

HOW TO RECYCLE GLASS.

Glass recycling is the process of turning waste glass into useable products. It is one of the many ways we can help reduce pollution and waste. Every day, we throw away tones of rubbish and glass is a significant part of it.

Glass can be melted down and made into many different forms from drinking glasses to glass fiber. When the glass is taken to a manufacturing or recycling plant, it is broken up into smaller pieces called cullets.

The broken pieces are crushed, sorted, cleaned, and prepared to be mixed with other raw materials like soda ash and sand. The raw materials and glass pieces are melted in a furnace and then shaped into moulds to make new bottles of different colours and sizes. New recycled bottles and jars are made in this way.

In countries like USA, there are kerbside recycling schemes, which have specially demarcated boxes to collect glass that can be recycled. Some supermarkets, car parks and other public areas have glass bottle banks, where you can take your recyclable jars and bottles.

The benefits of recycling glass are numerous. Apart from the fact that it uses less energy compared to when the glass is manufactured from the beginning, it also prevents glass from piling up in landfills that are a threat to safety. Glass produced from recycled glass reduces pollution into the environment by reducing air pollution by 20% and related water pollution by 50%.

Every metric ton (1,000 kg) of waste glass recycled into new items saves 315 kilograms (694 lb) of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere during the creation of new glass.

Recycled glass can be made back into its former state or it can be recycled to produce new glass items. Glass do not degrade during the recycling process so it can be used again and again

Culled from:

wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/project_ideas/recycling_glass/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_recycling

www.recyclenow.com/facts-figures/how-it-recycled/glass-bottles

By Lawani Akinyemi

Mrs. Cynthia Saka, CEO, T. Cynthia Nigeria Ltd

In light of World Youth Day  (a UN International Day) on August 12, this month Wecyclers looked into the impact of the youth on the environment. We sat down earlier this month with Mrs. Cynthia Saka, a waste management and recycling entrepreneur, to discuss this intersection of the youth and the environment and to get her thoughts and insights on this important issue.

Mrs. Cynthia Saka is the Chief Executive Officer of T. Cynthia Nigeria Limited. The company T.Cynthia Nigeria Limited started in 1989 as T.Cynthia Nigeria Enterprise, dealing mainly in cotton wools, caustic Soda and the supply of both industrial and petro-chemicals to companies such as: “33” now Consolidated Breweries, Ijebu-Ode, Ragolis Waters in Ikorodu, Beecham and Glaxo amongst others. With her vast knowledge and experience, she is going to be illuminating us in this interview on the impacts of the youth on the environment.

Lawani Akinyemi: How did you get involved in recycling and waste management?

I have been in the Industry for about 26 years. Initially I started with cotton in a textile company and in most textile companies’ plastic waste is easily generated. We would pick up the waste and send it to the grinding house as a result of that we gradually moved into reprocessing.

LA: The Nigerian Bureau of statistics put the current youth unemployment rate at 54%. How do you think the Nigerian waste and recycling sector can reduce unemployment rate among the youth and Nigeria as a whole?

In order to reduce the nation’s unemployment rate among the youth, the Government must first of all educate and empower them so as to encourage entrepreneurship and self-dependency. This will not only empower the youths but also boost the country’s economy.

 LA: What strategies can the government and the private sector employ to reach youth who lack knowledge about recycling to teach them about its importance and combat the general ignorance about recycling that plagues the youth population in Nigeria today?

The government should create an avenue for seminars and workshops with the aim of enlightening the youth on the merits of environmental protection.

LA: From your experience in the recycling and waste management industry with your company, T. Cynthia Enterprise, what advice do you have for youth who are interested in starting up a company without much capital and probably no experience?

My advice to them is to start gradually and shun the habit of collecting loans from commercial banks that attract high interest. However, if the government can provide those loans with little or no interest it will go a long way in assisting them.

 LA: Nigeria’s median age is 18.2 years old and approximately 43% of the population is under 15 years old.  How does that affect the country and its economy as well as political prospects in the entrepreneurship field?

It affects the country greatly because, the youth are not well educated and lack proper facilities.

LA: What is the biggest problem today in regards to youth/youth unemployment in Nigeria?

There are not enough jobs for youth. Even the available jobs cannot be giving to them because of their apathy towards working. This is a technological generation that encourages laziness. Therefore job opportunities cannot be awarded to undeserving candidates.

LA: Any final comment?

The youth have a great effect on the environment so, the government has to do all in its power to enlighten them with the use of vocational trainings and not “white collar” jobs. The government should invest in Nigeria by providing facilities to empower them.

Lawani Akinyemi

This interview was conducted by Lawani Akinyemi, a summer intern at Wecyclers. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor Degree in Mass Communication at Bowen University Iwo, Osun state. 

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