Recycling, democratised

Many developing countries face a singular challenge when it comes to sustainability: how do you make environmentalism work within an ineffective system? One answer – through creativity.

Wecyclers, based in Lagos, Nigeria, is a creative initiative that encourages recycling in a country where its relevance is not always understood. When it first started in 2012, just 40% of the city’s waste was collected, and only 13% recycled. Waste was commonly burnt when not collected, leading to toxic air pollution in crowded neighbourhoods.

These problems continue, but Wecyclers is fighting back. It democratises recycling, making it available and attractive to the city's most vulnerable groups. Its model is aimed at low-income communities, with a points-based system that lets subscribers collect cash rewards for recycling. Many of Wecyclers’ clients live in informal, slum settlements where overcrowding is an inescapable reality; through a better waste collection system, spread of disease reduces and quality of life improves.

Much more needs to be done for waste in the sprawling metropolis to be handled sustainably.

Wecyclers have the capacity to recycle and reuse an extensive range of materials, maximising their contribution to litter reduction. The company collects glass, aluminium, paper, cardboard and varying types of plastic, including plastic bottles and their lids. In Obalende, Ikoyi there is a Wecyclers Recycling Exchange centre where people can exchange their recyclables in person for cash rewards. Additionally, there is a waste collection hub in Ebutte Metta on Lagos’ mainland. Collected materials are then processed in various centres in Lagos. In Nigeria, where products are often temporarily used and thrown away, Wecyclers’ management of plastic is an important short-term solution to the monumental problem of waste.

Many of Lagos’ most impoverished citizens are still not using this service due to access and educational issues. Some will not have received a full formal education; reading and writing is not universal, and neither is knowledge on how waste leads to pollution. Nevertheless, the Wecyclers team continue to go into informal settlements to spread awareness about their services through word-of-mouth. The hope is that once people hear about the recycling initiative in person, awareness will spread organically. In this way, they will be able to contribute to sustainable waste management in a way that benefits and makes sense financially for them.

The initiative is also a means for financially-empowered citizens to process their waste responsibly. Citizens are more inclined to use Wecyclers over other waste management organisations because it monetises waste so creatively and efficiently. Government agencies taking care of waste are often overwhelmed, so are not able to thoroughly collect waste in Lagos. Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) is the government’s agency in charge of waste management in the city, and has struggled to sustainably manage the city’s waste. Within Lagos, LAWMA landfills appear ineffectively managed, with the dumping of waste done in centres close to highways, exposing travellers to unpleasant smells and increasing their risk of developing respiratory diseases. Much more needs to be done for waste in the sprawling metropolis to be handled sustainably.

Wecyclers is a very positive start. It’s a free service, and is starting a ripple effect of awareness about waste in Nigeria. The big gaps in LAWMA’s sustainability render the work of Wecyclers crucial to effective waste management in Nigeria. Looking to the future, consumer habits must change so as to minimise the amount of rubbish produced in the first place, but LAWMA must also work on innovative solutions, as current management strategies like street sweepers and landfills are proving insufficient. Perhaps by learning from Wecyclers’ strategies, the government group could guarantee a more sustainable future for Lagos’ constantly growing population.

Images courtesy of Wecyclers.