The amount of waste that we produce is on the increase and recycling is one of the best ways to have a positive impact on the natural environment. While recycling play a vital role in reducing the net waste that we produce, it is also essential to cities around the world and to the people living in them.
Let us look into the Niger Delta Region and see how recycling has become a way of life.
Here is an experience shared after an interview with
How did you begin Entrepreneurship in Recycling?
I stated by recognizing the value in trash.
I started collecting discarded plastic spoons, paper, corn husk and wine corks to manufacture wall decor and embellished mirrors for sale. My foray into recycling soon proved successful, and in 2017 Recyclehub was born.
What is Recyclehub?
Recyclehub is a recycling company where trash are transformed into valuable resources.
Recyclehub, a social enterprise with a focus on low income areas, offers points-based incentives to subscribers in exchange for recyclable wastes delivered to its designated collection point, and for those whom distance presents a challenge, the firm a door-to-door pick-up.
Till date, we have trained over 250 people on ways to transform solid waste into valuable items. In schools, we have supplied furniture re-purposed from tires and plastics and students are taught how to build them from scratch. They are also informed about the impact of waste on the environment and the rationale for recycling.
Why Recycling ?
The basic idea of recycling is not new to Nigerians, it has long been a way of life. For example, peanuts are commonly sold in old wine bottles and plastic water bottles are reused to sell palm oil and other liquids. There is growing level of awareness to protect the environment from non-bio-degradables. Despite a lack of effective waste management policies, we have advocacy programs on-going for purposeful recycling. Since 2015, our project: The Environment and You, has been educating school children and rural communities in Delta State on the dangers of environmental degradation. The initiative organizes children and youths to clean beaches, plant trees, sort and aggregate different kinds of plastics for recyclers, who then transport them to recycling facilities. In return, they’re given non-monetary incentives such as school bags and stationaries. The incentives are a means to create behavioral change. We runs community outreach programs in market places, schools, restaurants and other commercial entities.
Are there other Recycling Entrepreneurs?
Yes, but with the rise of tech startups and advocacy for innovation across Africa, most social enterprises focus more on their social impact than being driven by profit motives. The thing about recycling business is that, more tons of plastic are needed to be attractive to recyclers.
What is the Way Forward to Improve this Prospect?
Incentives and awards are not enough to drive behavioral change. A holistic approach to combating solid waste would involve laws and more public campaigns aimed at encouraging community participation, businesses and consumers to adopt environmental-friendly alternatives.
“Awareness is key,” But waste prevention is a nobler act than recycling, something Nigeria’s lawmakers have acknowledged with their recent proposal to ban the importation, manufacture and distribution of plastic of plastic.
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