Global Recycling Day 2023 focuses on Africa

The initiative has been launched today to “mark the start” of Global Recycling Day, which is taking place tomorrow.

The foundation’s Africa programme for 2030 is set to focus on five key areas over the coming years “to help build a collective approach for Africa”. The key areas include growth of recycling industries, education and sustainable innovative solutions, promoting circular economy and the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals as well as employment, health and wellbeing.

Ranjit Baxi, the GRF’s founding president, said that working together with its global partners, the foundation will “strive to strengthen the green economy of Africa by enhancing recycling across its schools, communities, towns and cities”.

Education

Mr Baxi explained that the foundation “will be looking at how it can connect with the community at large and spread the message of recycling”, reiterating the importance of working with the youth.

The GRF said that in 2023/24, it plans to roll out two key projects – the Waste Masters Africa card game and a corresponding book series. The card game, which will also come in the form of an app, will aim to spread the message on the urgent need to stop dumping waste, increase recycling and reduce pollution.

Meanwhile, the book series is to comprise of eight educational study guides about recycling and waste management, targeted at children between 5-12. Both are set to be distributed across communities, schools and youth clubs.

Resource

Mr Baxi said that in celebration of the Global Recycling Day tomorrow (18 March), 10 winners of ‘recycling heroes’ chosen from across the world will be announced, each awarded $1,000.

Another 10 awards for innovation of $250 each will be awarded to those who are able to make innovative use of what would otherwise end up as waste. This is to promote innovation amongst the youth and the need to look at recycling material as a resource to also be reused, not just recycled, Mr Baxi added.

“The next 30 years are set to be years of rapid economic growth for Africa. Climate change, however, is a real and present issues with deforestation, drought, displaced population and rising sea levels are set to impact rural and urban economies,” Mr Baxi continued. “Now is the time for Africa to embrace solutions that tackle the climate emergency head on, and recycling is a critical part of the picture.”