Circularity Tales: a new life for plastic waste in Tanzania
Founded in 2019 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, PREYO CO. LTD leads in plastic waste management, adopting a circular economy approach. Through their involvement in Impact Hub Dar es Salaam’s circularity pilot programme, they have gained valuable insights into circular practices. This experience has strengthened their commitment to creating a closed loop between product and waste management.
- Impact Hub Network
- Global team
In a world drowning in the consequences of a take-make-waste approach, the urgency for sustainable alternatives is evident. According to the World Bank, an alarming 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste is generated globally each year, with at least 33% mismanaged through open dumping or burning.
The prognosis is grim, with a forecasted increase to 3.40 billion tonnes in less than thirty years if consumption habits remain unchanged. Enter the circular economy, an alternative model challenging the linear economy’s unsustainable logic.
The circular economy seeks to disrupt the linear approach by encouraging practices such as “sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible”. The goal is to extend the life value of products and minimise waste, offering a promising solution to the global waste crisis.
In our pursuit to explore exemplary initiatives embracing circular principles, we spoke with Wenceslaus Soka, Chief Operating Officer of PREYO CO. LTD, based in Dar er Salaam, Tanzania. Founded in 2019, PREYO is at the forefront of plastic waste management, transforming discarded plastic into eco-friendly, affordable, and durable products, such as paving bricks.
Wenceslaus defines circularity as a product and waste management strategy that establishes a close loop, generating value from waste and preventing products from becoming environmental pollutants.
PREYO’s participation in Impact Hub Dar es Salaam’s circularity pilot programme was transformative. Initially lacking a full understanding of circular practices, the programme empowered PREYO to trace products, implement circularity practices, and create truly eco-friendly recycled products. Impact Hub Dar es Salaam played a pivotal role in helping PREYO understand its industry, scale impactfully, and build essential skills.
Wenceslaus emphasises the importance of circular product design, modularity, and smart material choices for creating a solid foundation for circularity in any business. He also expresses enthusiasm for every aspect of the circularity programme, which significantly contributed to PREYO’s understanding of various circular components.
PREYO aims to embed circularity principles into its DNA, not only through plastic recycling but also by empowering young people and scaling up projects in the East African community. Wenceslaus stresses the fundamental importance of deviating from linear economy models to reduce the impact of existing waste and channel waste away from polluting the environment.
By diverting plastic waste from landfills and incineration, PREYO contributes to a sustainable future. As the world grapples with the impending waste crisis, initiatives, like PREYO serve to showcase that circularity, is not just a choice but a necessity for a healthier planet and prosperous future.
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