Circular Economy: An Antidote to Municipal Solid Waste Challenges in Zambia

Abstract

Zambia is one of the fastest developing countries in Africa. It is land linked and has one of the most urbanizing cities, the capital, Lusaka. The country is now grappling with serious challenges of managing municipal solid waste that is generated from its growing population and increased economic activity. Circular economy ensures that all the negativities of linear economy are reduced or prevented by ensuring reduced generation of waste at source, reuse of the generated waste and if these cannot be implemented, recycling of the generated waste follows. This results into environmental benefits such as clean and safe air and water. Land degradation or pollution is prevented. Therefore, there is need to implement circular economy as an antidote to the current municipal solid waste challenges. Municipal solid waste management is a critical public good that provides a barometer for the effectiveness of any governance system around the world. Successive governments should embed the waste management issue in all the policies developed for to ensure sustainability. In today’s world of material scarcity and a call to action toward climate change action, it cannot be over emphasized that circular economy is the antidote to municipal solid waste challenges Zambia is facing.