Greening Africa
A circular economy for continental sustainability and resilience
Climate change is one of the biggest threats that humanity has faced and the impact of the climate crisis on every aspect of living has forced governments and businesses to seriously reevaluate how things are done. With the survival of both people and planet in the balance, it cannot be business as usual.
During a Cloud Debate hosted by the University of Johannesburg, experts explained that today’s circular economy is a space of creation and innovation as consumers and corporations shift from a linear “take-make-waste” model of operating towards a system that aims to eliminate pollution and waste and provide room for natural systems to regenerate.
This circular, green-focused economy also offers opportunities to bolster employment and create a more resilient economic environment, while safeguarding Africa and her residents and resources for future generations.
Eliminating waste for planet health
Dr Naudè Malan is a senior lecturer in Development Studies at the University of Johannesburg. During the debate, which dealt with how recycling and reforestation are being advanced in Africa with fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies, he described the linear economic model as a system where consumers buy products from a distributor and after the product or service is used, it is discarded, usually with some form of waste.
“There is waste in manufacturing, there is waste in retailing and distribution, and there is waste in and after use,” he explained. “Often the product is designed to be obsolete at the end of its lifetime, and this in itself is incredibly wasteful.”
This waste produced in a linear economy contributes to pollution and adds to the worsening state of the planet, in serious and often unnecessary ways.
“A laptop has 300g of gold in it, and when it reaches the end of its life we often just discard it without a second thought,” said Malan.
Malan says this is a problem, but also an opportunity.
“There are huge economic opportunities in this context, because you can design a product so that it doesn’t incorporate as much waste in the manufacturing, retail and use systems. And you can design the product so that it can be refurbished, reused, reconditioned or repurposed.”
A full circle: Renew, recycle and reuse
According to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, a circular economy is the way forward as it can address and curb environmental issues before they even take place, while building a more resilient economic landscape.
“We must build an economy that eliminates waste and pollution, keeps products and materials in use, and regenerates natural systems. The circular economy can help address climate change by reducing emissions from industry, land use and agriculture.”
According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation’s (UNIDO) Circular Economy paper, this type of economy “works by extending product lifespan through improved design and servicing, and relocating the waste from the end of the supply chain to the beginning — in effect, using resources more efficiently by using them over and over, not only once”.
According to UNIDO, this creates new and exciting opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs who are tasked with designing products for “durability, reuse and recyclability”.
Opportunities for a better Africa
The concept of a circular economy creates the space for many entrepreneurs in Africa to be innovative and feed the economy while still reducing waste and helping the planet. One such example is K1-recycling, a business run by Tshepo Mazibuko that processes waste and sells it back to manufacturers in the form of plastic pellets. These pellets can then be used to create new products.
Speaking at the UJ Cloud Debate, Mazibuko explained how his business works.
“We sell our final product to the manufacturers of products like chairs and blades, so we are actually producing raw material for their final product while minimising waste.”
According to Malan, this is the future of manufacturing and business in South Africa, on the continent and globally.
“As we recover the waste in manufacturing processes, instead of just discarding it and losing that value, we can create opportunities,” he explained. “Not just recycling, but recycling and reprocessing, remanufacturing and more — this is really the frontier of business.”
While the concept of a circular economy is sound, successful implementation is needed for the effects and benefits to be seen. This is why there is an increased push for governments and businesses to adopt strategies and policies that enable circular economies and promote a recycling strategy.
Experts agree that a future based on a thriving zero-emissions economy is not only possible, but vital to secure a better future for Africa and the world.