Improper and impulsive urbanization in developing African countries has, over time, led to serious environmental degradation. The management of liquid, solid, and toxic e-waste is a major pressing issue in Africa. Ranging from the waste litter on the road and gutters to industrial waste being dumped in water bodies, the effects of this result in environmental hazards and endanger human health.
The majority of diseases, including malaria, spread faster in communities in developing countries with poor waste management. Communities that are already struggling with inadequate access to drinking water and good food shouldn’t have to deal with more unessential problems like this.
Factors like poverty, population growth, and rapid urbanization have significantly contributed to the cause of waste management. Waste management and sustainability development are also greatly underfunded and poorly executed due to a lack of good infrastructure by the governments of these countries.
Adopting a sustainable system and a circular economy would play a vital role in improving the efficiency of proper waste management in these countries. With the population in these communities on the rise, more waste is produced, resulting in more waste ending up in illegal dump sites.
Sustainable development is an increasingly popular term nowadays, and it encompasses various aspects such as environmental conservation, social equity, and economic growth. Implementing sustainable waste management practices not only helps in reducing pollution and protecting natural resources, but also creates employment opportunities and promotes a healthier living environment for the community.
Although the ability to achieve economic growth while maintaining sustainability is a debate amongst the masses and business owners in developing regions , it is important to recognize that sustainable waste management can actually contribute to economic growth. By implementing efficient waste management systems, businesses can reduce costs associated with waste disposal and potentially generate revenue through recycling and waste-to-energy initiatives.
Additionally, adopting sustainable practices can attract environmentally conscious consumers and investors, leading to increased market opportunities and business growth (circular economy).
It is crucial for governments to prioritize funding and infrastructure development to ensure the successful implementation of sustainable systems in these countries and pave the way for a circular economy.
Definition of Circular Economy
A circular economy is the process by which resources are used efficiently by reducing, reusing, and recycling waste rather than disposing of it in dumps or incinerating it. This not only helps to conserve natural resources and reduce pollution, but also creates a more sustainable and resilient economy. By implementing the principles of the circular economy, countries can reduce their dependence on finite resources and minimize the environmental impact of their activities. This can lead to long-term economic benefits, such as cost savings from reduced waste disposal and increased job opportunities in the recycling and waste management sectors.
Achieving a circular economy in developing countries is a gradual process, and three (3) principles have to be met to achieve it. They include:
- Waste and pollution elimination.
- Maximize product and material efficiency by recycling and reusing waste materials. When waste can not be avoided, it ought to be used as a resource.
- Enhance the environment by restoring natural systems through regenerative solutions and waste-to-energy initiatives.
Importance of a Circular Economy and the Sectors That Will Benefit from It in Developing Countries.
Combining these three principles will surely help in the fight against climate change and improve health and environmental hazards. Adopting a circular economy will not only help with waste management and resource conservation, but also promote economic security and growth. The sectors that will greatly benefit from investing in the circular economy include, but are not limited to:
- Manufacturing and structural industries: one of the principles of the circular economy is maximizing material efficiency and optimizing energy usage. Adopting the circular economy in these industries will not only ensure that it is achieved but also provide strategies to ensure that these sectors are able to recycle and reduce their dependence on new resources, as they will be needed to take good responsibility for their products and are more likely to ensure product longevity because items produced will be easily repurposed or disposed of, reducing the amount of waste ending up in landfills. This would also help breed fresh innovations and promote sustainable practices.
- The retail and service-based industries can also benefit from adopting the circular economy approach. By implementing strategies such as product sharing or leasing, these industries can reduce their environmental impact by promoting the reuse of products instead of constant production and consumption. Additionally, embracing sustainable packaging solutions and implementing efficient waste management systems can further contribute to reducing waste and minimizing the carbon footprint of these sectors.
- Knowledge, information, and technology–based industries: The circular economy and the IT industries intersect through data analytics and digital innovation. Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Web 3 technology like artificial intelligence (AI), and the blockchain help to better track and trace products, reduce waste, maximize resource consumption, and facilitate regenerative economic concepts. Integration of these technologies provides data analytics and insights to help promote a circular economy. This helps provide transparency and ensure good decisions are made on allocating and managing resources, waste reduction, and product engineering based on the data analyzed.
- Natural resource industries, e.g., agriculture, mining, and forestry: The circular economy is a good way to ensure the conservation of natural resources and reduce the need to always cut down more trees or mine more materials. This would help keep our forest and its treasures alive, reduce waste production by repurposing agricultural waste, and maintain a sustainable farming and land process.
Should developing countries invest in the circular economy?
If I were asked this question years ago, I probably would say no, or I don’t know, because, like everyone else, I wasn’t informed about what adopting the linear economy model has cost us. Unlike the circular economy, the linear economy involves the single use of resources, products, and services, leading to their disposal after their usage. These disposed items end up in landfills and large water bodies, where they pollute our lands, plants, waters, and sea creatures.
The circular economy promotes the ability to get the most out of what the linear economy labels as waste by sharing, refurbishing, renting, recycling, and reusing our resources and products. This model does not only help businesses invest in stocks that are most likely to last longer but also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Particularly, Global Goal 12 aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, encompassing 12.2 and 12.5 to achieve more efficient use of natural resources, materials, and reduce trash generation through prevention, restoration, recycling, and reuse. The notion of a circular economy is gradually being recognized globally, and all countries have committed to adopting it.
The United Nations, as of 2019, projected that the world’s population would reach about 8.5 billion by 2030 and 9.7 billion by 2050. Resource extraction has tripled since 1970 and is said to grow by another 70% by 2050. With the current imbalance between resource extraction and demand, the linear model is definitely going to lead to environmental instability. Every year, about 25 billion tons of rubbish are discarded, the majority of which is industrial waste or e-waste that ends up polluting the air, water, and land.
The utilization of petroleum-based fuels, with more than 65% of global food and fresh water lost into the linear economy model each year, results in global warming, land degradation, and product degradation. and these processes are basically what the economy is built on. Transitioning to a circular economy model, which focuses on reducing waste and reusing resources, is crucial for sustainable development and environmental protection. By implementing circular practices, we can minimize the negative impacts of resource extraction and waste generation, ultimately creating a more resilient and efficient economy in Africa and around the world.z
