Plastic waste: At the heart of the bustling Glen View district in Harare, Zimbabwe, Barbara Tiki, alongside six other women, meticulously peels off labels from a diverse range of plastic bottles and containers. Dressed in the distinctive orange and blue uniform of Zero Waste, the ladies have been engaged in this work since 2021.
In the early days, Tiki and her team would rise at the crack of dawn to gather plastic waste from rubbish dumps throughout the city. Now, people from local communities deliver the waste plastic directly to the women on Willowvale Road, who then purchase it for resale to recycling firms. This activity hub, bursting with sacks of variously sized and coloured plastics, has become a cornerstone of the city’s flourishing recycling industry.
Patience Mangove, 53, a member of this initiative, expresses that they’re not just making a living, but also playing a significant role in reducing community waste. “Many of us are widows, divorced, or single mothers,” she said, noting the financial importance of their work.
While sorting through their collections, discussions on how to spend the earnings from their sales fill the air. Prices vary, with polypropylene fetching $0.15 per kilogram and PET plastics, often used for drinks bottles, $0.20. They then resell these plastics for $0.40 and $0.45 per kilogram, respectively.
The women received training as part of the Zimbabwe Sunshine Group (ZSG), learning to categorise and grade plastic waste. This initiative was launched by the Harare City Council in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
Jane Chichewo, 53, another member of Zero Waste, has noticed an increase in locals, including children, bringing plastics for resale. “It helps them earn money while promoting a culture of cleanliness,” she added.
However, plastic waste continues to pose significant environmental challenges for Zimbabwe, producing approximately 1.65 million tonnes of waste annually, with plastic accounting for 18% of that, according to EMA spokesperson, Amkela Sidange. She also noted that a vast majority of plastic waste ends up in landfills or the natural environment globally, with a significant portion being single-use plastic.
Zimbabwe introduced a ban on plastic bags less than 30 microns thick in 2010, but enforcement remains a challenge, with some types of food packaging exempt. In addition, a levy applied to thicker plastic bags has proven ineffective, as consumers have simply become accustomed to the extra cost.
A recent report from the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) highlights the country’s waste management plan. However, with the amount of plastic waste still increasing, lack of resources and research on technological impacts have impeded progress. Sidange urges retailers and consumers alike to adopt non-plastic alternatives for shopping bags.
Zimbabwe isn’t alone in its struggle with plastic pollution. Malawi, another southern African nation, has faced legal roadblocks in its attempts to ban certain plastics since 2015. Even as grassroots initiatives mirror those in Zimbabwe, waste recycling rates across sub-Saharan Africa remain shockingly low at 4%, largely due to a lack of knowledge about recycling and opportunities linked to it.
The problem of plastic pollution is, of course, global. As global plastic production and waste continue to increase, world delegates met recently in Paris to draft a UN treaty to end plastic pollution, aiming to produce a first draft by November.
Back in Harare, Tiki and her colleagues continue their work with ambition. “We aim to purchase our own land and processing equipment to grow in this industry,” Tiki shared.
Experts note that government efforts in both countries should promote recycling, facilitate clean-up campaigns, segregate waste, and boost institutional capacity to enforce regulations.
