We should care what happens to waste in Nigeria

UK recycling rates have climbed a lot in the past decade, with the success of the WEEE and packaging regulations. But some of the benefits to UK citizens and residents are still a bit intangible.

So how can we make the value of recycling more real and more relevant to the wider world? One way is by embracing a wider view.

In many parts of the developing world, waste is a problem that is real and destructive. It damages the environment and affects lives – directly – because millions end up living with waste all around them, impacting on health and wellbeing.

Even if in Europe recycling rates are impressive and climbing – Germany at 65% recycling, the UK at 44%, and so on – the stark fact is that in many countries recycling is barely happening. That means resources are being lost on a vast scale, and the waste that’s scattered all around is a huge issue, with devastating consequences for some. We all know, too, about global challenges like the plastics that are choking our oceans, even if we don’t like to think about it much. But it’s not enough to be an onlooker, doing a little bit in our part of the world.

Challenge

One good way, we think, to face this issue head-on is to engage directly with the businesses and social enterprises that are out there and looking to make a difference.

In our case, we recently decided to reach out to a recycling project in Nigeria that is doing excellent work and needs to scale up fast.

Wecyclers, based in the country’s largest city, Lagos, is a scheme that collects recyclable waste from households, including plastic bottles, plastic bags, and aluminium cans. It’s extending to a growing number of communities across the city, using low-cost, tricycle vehicles called wecycles for its collections. Ecosurety has funded two wecycles so far, supporting two jobs and servicing 500 households a week between them. We’ve plans to provide further support in the future – and we want to get our member companies supporting the scheme too.

We think Wecyclers has the potential to transform recycling in Lagos, with thousands of households participating already and each wecycle operator capable of collecting up to three tonnes a month of materials. The collections have the dual benefit of improving the local environment and providing ever more materials for the city’s recycling facilities, which have plenty of spare capacity. It’s a great project to engage with and gives us a sense of purpose, particularly as it is also creating work opportunities that help youngsters express themselves.

What could your company do to support a waste or recycling project in the wider world?