Africa: The world’s only rubbish dump

The controversy over dumping of toxic waste in Côte d'Ivoire continues, even after an Ivorian minster said the country had “no intention of becoming the world's garbage dump".

But perhaps there’s more to this ‘waste dump saga’ in the form of a sterling business opportunity. I had my windshield replaced on Friday (the consequence of Africa’s rapid growth is that there are lots of trucks filled with building material on the roads) and was flabbergasted when the glass technician told me that we don’t have the technology to recycle the glass, we just throw it away. A few calls to some of South Africa’s big glass recycling firms confirmed that no one seems to be too interested in the glass that protects billions of motorists daily.

While I’m by no means a green, I do get a little annoyed with wastage – especially when its sanctioned by a rather lazy norm. Indolent because it’s been easy to just throw away the broken glass rather than seeking available alternatives or developing new methods. Sure, windshield glass is not easy to recycle because of plastic laminates that are used to make them stronger and heating and radio wires, and recyclers will argue that this makes it unviable, but this isn’t really an excuse.

If Africa does not do something to encourage recycling – either by making it more expensive to dispose of waste than the costs related to recycling or by providing tax incentives to start-up recycling firms with clear cut-off times to become sustainable within – then we have every intention of becoming the world's garbage dump.

The ability to import modern cars and other advanced products is wonderful, but it is equally –if not more– important that Africa imports the mechanisms that have been introduced to manage the waste that these goods bring. Otherwise this irresponsibility may in time earn Africa the title of the ‘world’s only rubbish dump’.

However, this rather gloomy title is unecessary. All that is required is a few visionary businessmen who can find profit where everyone else sees junk.