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STARTUP

Trash t o Cash

ecycling is amongst the promising businesses Tapera Industries Limited, a Lusaka based company owned
of the future you should consider investing in by Bwalya’s brother.
now. This is because of the increased demand
for recycled plastic resins and products, initiated Tapera also produces eco-friendly construction material
Rby the growing utilization of plastics in industrial such as plastic pavers. According to Bwalya, construction
applications, and the increase in consumer awareness of companies are interested in these pavers because they
solid waste recycling. All this opens an avenue for you to offer advantages in terms of price and innovation. Industry
capitalize upon, make a living and possibly amass wealth. regulators have a role to play in ensuring that recycling
businesses thrive.
Today, we look at some initiatives that have managed to turn
waste materials into commercially viable products. We will Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) is a
also explore what statutory laws are in place to encourage local environmental regulator and coordinating agency.
this budding recycling practice. Among other functions, ZEMA has the mandate to protect
this growing industry. Under the Extended Producer
In the last issue, we featured Simon Mwansa; a young Responsibility (EPR) legislation, government through ZEMA
entrepreneur who collects used bottles of a popular local demands producers of certain packaging products, to take
whisky; ‘Junta’ and sells them to a beverage company here, responsibility of their waste.
in Lusaka. Simon who is also a third-year student at the
University of Zambia (UNZA) to make K180 from a 50kg bag This law covers High-Density Poly-ethane (HDPEs) material
of bottles. He then uses these proceeds to cover some of his such as Super Shake packs. Poly-ethane (PET), includes
school expenses. Tricyclers, a social enterprise, recycles the plastic bottles of Sprite, Fanta and Coca-Cola, cartons such
household waste of people in low income communities, with as Chibuku packs and non-retainable glass. Production
the aim of preventing the pile up of waste. companies are required to submit a waste management
strategy explaining their waste management strategy. ZEMA
Founded by Bwalya Ngoma, Tricyclers uses a fleet of Corporate Communications Manager; Irene Chipili, sees this
special low-cost cargo tricycles to peddle through Lusaka’s as an opportunity for waste collectors to earn money.
neighbourhoods and pick up these
bags of recyclable goods. The According to the EPR law, not all waste is waste because
initiative also empowers the there is potential for recycling to grow. To ensure that the
residents by paying those organisation’s principle of; ‘Reuse, Recycle and Reduce
that assist on collecting Waste’, are being implemented, ZEMA supports practices
the waste. The that promote cleaner production and waste minimization
materials collected amongst industries.
are cleaned and
sorted before Given the capability of recycling to generate jobs, it
sending is imperative that an environment that stimulates
them to the recycling is built, and that recycled material markets are
processor; promoted.

101 The Africa We Want