Waste Management

Africa

Ethiopia

People seeing economic value in waste is a bigger driving force for recycling and reuse than any policy or regulation. Whether it is due to the lack of raw material in the metal industry, or the lack of foreign exchange that makes importing virgin paper products expensive, there are untapped economic opportunities that many can seize. Indeed, despite an existing culture of recycling and reuse in Ethiopia, there are less than 10 formal, large scale recycling factories in the country---most of which are foreign-backed or owned.

One of the companies the AccLab spoke to was Rose Waste Management which started 15 years ago with two waste collecting truck and 10 employees. However, the company has now evolved into the Rose Business Group that includes a segregated waste collection for institutions, cleaning services, plastic recycling factories that produce conduit, collecting glass and paper that are sold to recycling companies and even a dairy farm that consumes food waste from beer production. While this story is encouraging, it is not common. 

Read more: Fashion Art Food: Stories of people turning waste to livelihood.