The problem of the collection, management and disposal of waste continues to feature prominently in major towns and cities across African countries. This has led to contamination of water bodies and to the spread of waterborne diseases and other health hazards. In most African countries, waste generation is the result of a rapidly growing urban population, along with the changing patterns of production and consumption inherent to a more urban lifestyle and the consequent industrialization. Manufacturing industries account for a significant part of Africa’s resource consumption and waste generation.
Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises, vital to the economies of all countries, are the backbone of the manufacturing sector in developing countries. They are often resource inefficient and high polluters, however, due to the use of obsolete technologies in their operations, lack of properly engineered disposal sites and waste treatment plants, low awareness of proper waste management approaches, lack of the needed waste collection and recycling technology, use of unskilled labour, poor operating practices and unsustainable production and consumption of natural resources. These problems are particularly significant in terms of resource productivity, innovation, energy management, waste management, pollution control, human resource development, technological capability, awareness and access to financing.
The above problems highlight the need to develop ecologically sustainable industries and to foster a shift to more sustainable consumption and production patterns and provide new impetus to promote the transition to more sustainable industrial systems. This project proposes industrial symbiosis as a means of achieving this.
