Waste as a resource – Opportunities in Africa

Abstract

It is estimated that 125 million tonnes of municipal solid waste is generated in Africa, of which only about 68 million tonnes are collected. Unsanitary landfilling and open dumping of the collected waste is the predominant waste disposal option in many African countries. Opportunities in Africa to develop a secondary waste economy are still largely unexplored. Trade in recycled materials is growing rapidly and the recycling market is becoming increasingly globalised. The recent notice to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) by China to ban imports of certain waste streams by the end of 2017 (WTO 2017) potentially has huge implications, including job losses in the recycling industry, especially for countries that do not have their own processing facilities. This ban by China, may however also create an opportunity for Africa to develop local markets and processing facilities for recyclables. This paper explores the opportunities created by the China ban for developing a secondary waste economy in Africa. The emphasis is on identifying opportunities that will realise the benefits on the African continent, rather than abroad through the export of materials.