Environment & Climate Change

Cashing in on garbage

With the current economic woes not showing any signs of recovery and the much awaited job creation opportunities and mantra’ zeroeing’ to almost nothing. Many enterprising young and old people in the sprawling ghettos of most urban centers in Zimbabwe have turned into garbage collection business tycoons as they are part of an emerging garbage collection syndicates and recycling merchants. The business of garbage collection and conversion of valuable recycling materials is no longer reserved for social ‘misfits ‘ and the insane members of the communities but is now business that is fast becoming a booming cash cow for many innovative business people in urban Zimbabwe. The most sort after garbage ‘gold’ range from used plastic material such as plastic bottles, metal cans, cardboard boxes, and other recycled materials. Collection of recycled materials is now big buck making business venture for urban dwellers who have formed manageable groups now ‘ registered ‘ by local urban councils, and companies that package their products using recycled materials like beer and beverages manufacturing companies like Delta Beverages and many others.
“In Kwekwe we started small collecting cans near roadsides in and around the city, even along Harare – Bulawayo Highway. We also created our collection bases near council garbage dumping sites like the one outside Amaveni suburb. But with most people dumping garbage anywhere, we are now ‘cleaners ‘of garbage on unwanted dumping sites in the city”, narrated a young lady Sekai Gunbo from Globe & Phoenix Mining compound, who is now a very successful recycled materials collector.
“ I am able to pay my rentals without struggling. I feed my family of eight siblings. I even pay for school fees for my children and one sister attending Midlands State University. Recycle collection is now paying business venture. I am thinking of opening a brick making factory converting plastics material as raw materials of very durable bricks for construction of pathways and driveways . If I could get support from companies like Delta Beverages, my dream would come true”, said Sekai.
Urban councils have a duty in assisting and encouraging recycling merchants by giving them necessary support through cordial relationships and engagement platforms as garbage merchants play a role in environment maintenance. Also companies that package their products using most of the recycled materials must engage garbage collectors and support and form business partnership through supporting their projects like converting recycled materials into brick making ventures as these projects create employment and sustainable business entrepreneurship. Also the environment would be clean of unwanted garbage on undesignated sites.

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