Rwanda will host the World Circular Economy Forum from December 7 to December 8 which is expected to accelerate the transition to the circular economy on the African continent. A circular economy is defined as a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. The forum, hosted for the first time in Africa, brings together business leaders, policymakers, and experts from Africa and around the world to present circular economy solutions and examine how businesses can seize new opportunities. The forum was co-organized by the African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA), the Republic of Rwanda, the African Circular Economy Network (ACEN), and The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, with international partners. This year’s forum focused on how the circular economy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support climate change adaptation, safeguard biodiversity and bring benefits to our societies. “As a founding member of the African Circular Economy Alliance, we are very pleased to host the World Circular Economy Forum in Rwanda. This is the first time the event is taking place in Africa,” said Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya. “The circular economy represents the single greatest opportunity to supercharge green growth and job creation in Africa, and we look forward to sharing Rwanda’s experience and learning from others,” she said ahead of the forum. The forum is expected to address a wide range of challenges in the transition from a linear to a more resilient and resource-efficient circular economy including trade, value chains, policy, and technology. Circular economy actors and start-ups from the continent will present their business models and share their stories, particularly looking at opportunities for collaboration, growth, job creation and development. “Transitioning to a circular economy is a way to make our economies wiser, resilient and future-proof”, says Jyrki Katainen, President of Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund. Katainen added, “Many solutions are already right in front of us, and we look forward to learning more about circular solutions from Africa in Kigali.” A look at some of the circular solutions in Rwanda Diverse and home-grown African circular solutions from agriculture and waste management to the built environment are to be presented at the forum. In the transition from a linear to a circular economy waste management and recycling are key components. There are different projects and strategies in Rwanda that are already offering circular economy solutions while others are in the pipeline. Africa already imports vast amounts of electronic and other waste. Rwanda, in 2017, established an e-waste recycling facility located in the Bugesera industrial zone. Olivier Mbera, the General Manager of Enviroserve- Rwanda facility is dedicated to electronic and electrical waste recycling told The New Times that the facility can recycle 10,000 tonnes of e-waste although it is striving for operating at full capacity as the community continues to understand the dangers of e-waste and why e-waste should be disposed of properly “Since 2018, We have collected and recycled over 6, 000 tons of E-waste. We were able to refurbish 7, 500 computers and 70 per cent have gone back to schools. We created more than 673 green jobs and over 4, 500 tonnes of carbon emissions were mitigated,” he said. Mbera said that they have also started to collect and treat solar e-waste and plans are underway to collect old phones. In 2008, Rwanda passed its first law banning the manufacture, import, use, and sale of polyethylene bags and in 2019, single-use single-use plastic items were also banned. Since then investors have also embarked on recycling plastics into different products such as construction materials and agriculture. For instance, Léon Nduwayezu, the owner of Agroplast Ltd came up with the idea to recycle plastic items in 2007 when Rwanda issued a ban on the use of plastic bags. The investor recycles plastics per day into different materials such as trash bags, net bags for potato and horticulture, construction sheets and greenhouses in agriculture as well as sealed sacks. More investors are also keen on recycling single use plastics into tiles and pavers for construction among others. Speaking during a media briefing about the World Circular Forum on Monday 5, Béatrice Cyiza, the Director General in the Ministry of Environment in charge of Climate Change said that recycling plastics and single use plastics are an opportunity for job creation for youth. “ Rwandan youth have already innovative minds because some are already turning plastics into tiles for construction, decorative materials which means that transition to circular economy is a job creation,” she said. For instance, Kunda Arts Collective, a social organization trains startup artists and kids on collecting empty wine bottles normally considered waste, and transforming them into artistic and colorful decorations by creating home décor. The artists collect used straws and train kids on transforming them into home décor by making the straws more colorful and turning them into art pieces. The leftover fabrics are also turned into art pieces. The artists collect parts of clothes from different tailors. Together with the kids, they create pieces of art that can be used as decoration at home. The leftovers of Kitenge fabric can be used to add value and design to different clothes. Other young greenpreneurs are turning more waste into organic fertilizers, pavers , and other valuable products. Noel Nizeyimana, the Managing Director of Green Care Rwanda Ltd said that he is processing 10 tonnes of waste per day to produce organic fertilizers in addition to producing pavers from plastic waste in Huye district. Felicite Nayinganyiki, a graduate from the University of Rwanda in agriculture, founded Ineza Sustainable Agriculture Ltd produces 100 tonnes of packed organic fertilizers per agriculture season and sells one Kilogramme at Rwf50 using waste from a landfill in Gicumbi district. A local investor, Prosper Muhirwa, is also planning to construct a $3 million plant to recycle single-use plastics into construction materials including pavers. In Rwanda, More than 6,000 tonnes of single-use plastic waste need recycling every year. A project has been launched to engage businesses and investors in contributing fees to help collect and recycle single-use plastic waste. And since June this year, only 100 tonnes are being collected per month although more than 500 tonnes of single-use plastic waste every month needs collection and recycling. Rwanda is also in a pilot project to turn waste from Nduba landfill into organic fertilizers and some could be produced in energy. “ We are working with Green Green Growth Institute in a pilot project so that all sorts of waste are recycled,” Cyiza said. Over70 percent of waste in Kigali Over 70is organic. At least 30 percent of the waste in Kigali is solid waste and should also be recycled. Of this, 10 percent are plastic bottles, and five percent are paper, all of which can be recycled. Currently, there are over five recycling companies that can do it. Some of the waste from the landfill could be recycled into pellet-type of cooking fuel used according to officials. Speaking during the media briefing on Monday 5, Ntobeko Boyana, Executive and South African Chapter Lead at African Circular Economy Network (ACEN), said that Africa also needs to turn food waste into different resources including energy. “Million tonnes of food go to waste and it can be generated into energy. Others can be turned into fish meal and then create jobs for the young population in a circular economy,” he said, adding that e-waste recycling should be maximized. “Some e-waste have copper elements that can be recovered,” he said. Circular food systems Since 2021, Rwanda Cleaner Production and Climate Innovation Centre (CPCIC) and its partners are implementing a circular food system project that will provide technical support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in food systems in Rwanda to improve their ability to utilize ‘circular business models. This project is expected to support SMEs in adopting circular economy practices, which ensure that food is produced in ways that restore nature, that food is not lost or wasted, and that resources typically wasted are used productively. the food system involves the primary production of food, food services, consumption, and disposal. The project is funded by IKEA Foundation and implemented by a consortium led by the World Resource Institute (WRI), Platform for Accelerating Circular Economy (PACE), African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA), African Circular Economy Network (ACEN), Cleaner Production and Climate Innovation Centre (CPCIC) and Resonance Cleaner production technologies The introduction of cleaner production technologies as the circular economy model is also bearing fruits. Private businesses and public institutions in Rwanda are set to gain both economic and environmental benefits from the recently created Cleaner Production and Climate Innovation Centre (CPCIC). The Centre was established in 2019 after reforming the Rwanda Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RRECPC) that started in 2008 and the long-envisioned Climate Innovation Centre (CIC) and operates as a government-owned company under the National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA). The CPCIC services are available for businesses and institutions in all sectors of Rwanda’s economy, especially agriculture, energy, transport, environment, urbanization, water, and waste. Over 142 industries that participated in the Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Programme over the past decade have saved US$ 6.5 million (about Rwf6.5 billion) after adopting cleaner practices. These industries are also making a huge impact in terms of reducing their contribution to climate change, with at least 30,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions avoided every year. At least 41 million megajoules of energy are saved and 22,390 tons of solid waste is reduced every year thanks to the adoption and implementation of resources efficient and cleaner production (RECP) practices/technologies, circular economy and innovation. Over 241,952 cubic metres of waste water is also reduced and 153,175 cubic metres of water is saved every year by industries under this programme. Overcoming the challenges of circularity: policies and finance Many existing laws and regulations need to change to allow for more circularity. That is why the forum will facilitate policy dialogues and knowledge sharing as a circular economy transition requires lawmakers, governments and others to inspire and learn from each other. Secondly, new financing models for circular businesses are urgently needed. The current capital flows into sustainable businesses and circular ventures are far too low according to the forum concept note. Circular economy companies need to develop bankable businesses that attract venture capitalists willing to take a risk. Development banks and other institutions can de-risk such investments with grant financing and technical assistance. “ We are looking forward to engaging with delegates to accelerate the transition to a just and inclusive circular economy across the continent,” says Peter Desmond, Co-Founder of the African Circular Economy Network (ACEN). “With the youngest population in the world, the African continent can take a crucial role in the global transition towards circularity,” added minister Mujawamariya. According to Sitra’s recent study, circular economy interventions can halt global biodiversity loss(link is external) and help the world's biodiversity recover.
