Recently, there have been huge developments in finding new uses for waste – whether it’s concrete and other materials in construction, or plastics and ideas such as polymer materials.
Perhaps however, we need to be looking beyond the headlines for ‘innovation’…
Reuse and repair are key loops in a circular economy, keeping products and materials in use and avoiding waste. But, despite the clear benefits of these functions, the Global North is still hooked on disposability. Although greater awareness and new legislation are beginning to drive better use of products and materials in the North, societies in Africa have long embraced strategies for maximising materials. So what can be learnt?
“In Africa we have been practising the circular economy for centuries,” says Ghislain Irakoze. “People don’t know it, but that’s the reality.”Irakoze is CEO and founder of Wastezon, a Rwanda-based company which repairs and remanufactures electronics, and resells quality-assured products back into the market. The company sprung from a near tragedy amid Africa’s growing waste problem: “When I was on a school assignment with my best friend, a heap of garbage fell on him. He was hospitalised for almost three months. That inspired me to explore solutions that could divert waste from landfill.” …
Whilst innovation is happening in other places we might not think of but should, it’s actually been happening for much longer than we think.
This approach has stimulated the creation of innovative materials to reuse waste in various contexts. A notable example is the case of woven flooring and rugs, where Bolon took a step forward in 1949 by transforming textile waste into stylish products. Since then, they have continued to innovate in materials, fusing the traditional flooring branch with sustainable creative design...
In contemporary architecture, recycling has evolved from a desirable to an unavoidable necessity. This change is mainly due to the growing climate crisis, accentuated by the constant presence of waste (for which no use has been found beyond the initial one).