Standing Against the Tide to Tackle Plastic Waste in Uganda

Walking through the mountains near Lake Bunyonyi, in south western Uganda close to the border with Rwanda, I got surprised by the number of plastic bottles on the way. Instead of appreciating the view, I decided to collect them one by one.

As a gesture of solidarity, my friends did the same. In less than three minutes and 100 meters of walking, a bag of plastic bottles was filled. As we were passing across the villages, people stared at us: “What are they doing?” I could read their thoughts.

We knew our contribution was but a drop in the ocean.

Uganda generates 600 tons of plastic every day but only 40% is collected and disposed of properly, according to Uganda’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). Tackling plastic waste is an audacious mission, as our culture makes us believe we cannot function without it. We wake up reaching for a plastic toothbrush and, as we prepare to go to bed at night, we indulge in a cup of tea packed in a plastic bag.

“When I was young, I used to wake up to the sound of parrots and turacos, but a lot has changed since then. Forests have been destroyed and the Lake Victoria has been polluted with tons of plastic. During my time at university, I would protest against plastic pollution but it was EcoBrixs who gave me the resources to think loud”, said Daniel Kayemba, Collection and Spokesperson at EcoBrixs.

EcoBrixs is a Ugandan-based NGO funded by a British investor aiming at addressing plastic waste in Uganda. Since 2017, when it was created, EcoBrixs has reached the milestone of 1,000 tons of plastic waste recycled. The waste is transformed into brand-new products, such as structural beams for construction, furniture, buttons and other household items.

The NGO partners with local communities in Masaka, west of Lake Victoria, to collect improperly disposed plastic. As a result, EcoBrixs supports the creation of job opportunities for those who don’t have a source of income, including people with disabilities. The number of collaborators amounts to 3,000 people.

In 2022, EcoBrixs founded The Uganda Recycling Association (TURA) composed of 570 agents who manage recycling centers across Uganda. The agents are responsible for weighing the plastic and buying it from local communities. They sell it not only to EcoBrixs but also to other organizations, acknowledging that plastic recycling shouldn’t be a one-organization initiative but a collective endeavor.

Since Uganda has no formal waste collection services, it needs to rely on pioneering initiatives such as EcoBrixs. Standing against the tide comes with its challenges, but also with ambitious goals.

“We want to transform our business model to make more profit and expand our operations to other countries in East Africa. We want to show the world that we can use waste plastic to transform communities and economies. We aim to create many jobs for young people”, said Daniel Kayemba.