In the spirit of holiday giving, Waste Free Oceans is excited to unveil the "Barrier of Hope" crowdfunding campaign, specifically addressing the root cause of plastic pollution in the rivers of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Following our beach cleanups in Dar Es Salaam a few months ago, we recognized that the core issue lay upstream in the rivers. Collaborating with our local waste management partner, The Recycler, we successfully constructed an initial barrier on a crucial bridge in Dar Es Salaam, intercepting plastic waste before it reaches the ocean.
How it will work: The Recycler will place a river trap at the Mlalakuwa bridge area. After the installation, there will be a beach clean up at the mouth of the river to try and clean the area. This will be a team building exercise with the TCC Team. At this point, the Recycler will then be monitoring the river trap and collecting from the area once per week or as necessary. The Recycler will then weigh the material collected and do a sampling of the material to get an idea of what the material is, what brands are responsible and how to recycled them. The Recycler will then provide monthly reports on the amount of waste collected and saved from the ocean, including on what items could be recycled. All of the material collected will then be sorted where possible for recycling and processing. All items that are not recyclable will either be used for co-processing or be sent to the landfill.
The location: As a location, we have chosen the river Mlalakuwa River. This river location has been studied by the World Bank and receives a large portion of waste from the informal settlements upstream. Moreover, the waste material empties out on to a public beach used by many Tanzanians – Mbezi Beach. The waste can also be carried to the nearby islands of Bongoyo and Mbudya which is a major tourist spot for Dar es Salaam. The bridge area also provides easy access to set up the traps, monitor them and clean them – with road access. Moreover, right next to the bridge the Chairperson of the area lives. She is very supportive of this issue and will assist in monitoring the project and reducing the chances of theft.
About our partner on the ground: The Recycler LTD The Recycler is a waste management company specializing in recycling and tailor-made waste solutions. The company offers a professional and comprehensive waste recycling service in Tanzania by collecting and processing recyclable material. The company has good relationships with established local and international manufactures that have committed to buying recyclable material. This network will ensure that your recycled waste materials are recycled responsibly. Their motto is “Waste is not just waste anymore!” The Recycler believes in the Zero Waste movement. Allow us to distinguish between zero waste to landfill and the actual Zero Waste Movement. Zero Waste to landfill is a practical solution that means all waste is recycled, composted/turned into biogas or used for energy recovery so that nothing is taken to landfill. However, the Zero Waste Movement is the systematic redesign of all resource's life-cycles so that waste is not produced at all. This is in many ways anti-recycling as items should be designed for extensive reuse and when finally discarded they should be reused in nature by providing nutrients to the soil. It means redesigning packaging for all products as well as the way we run our lives and businesses.
How the material will be recycled: Each material that we collect is recycled in a different way all of the processing happening in Tanzania! White paper goes to be made in to tissue paper locally into the brand Rexa, cardboard is made into brown paper for bags or envelopes locally, glass is made back into glass and used for the bottles of Pepsi, Coca-cola and local beers like Kilimanjaro and Serengeti. Cans/tins go to scrap metal companies who use them for making metal bars. Hard plastic is used locally to make chairs and buckets and plastic bottles are shredded and turned into fiber locally then exported to be made into clothes.
What about non-recyclable materials: All other non-recyclable, non-compostable material will be separated and used for waste to fuel in a cement kiln. Only 9% of the plastic worldwide is recycled, and this is mostly due to design. While the Recycler pushes for recycling and composting, there is still material that cannot be recycled. For this material we use as replacement fossil fuel for a cement kiln that has state of the art scrubbers to reduce pollution. and is more environmentally friendly then dumping waste at the landfill. The cement company has state of the art kilns that scrub out potential pollution. This is normal practice in all of the EU/UK/USA where all cement kilns take in waste every day. It is important to distinguish that this is not recycling though.
How You Can Contribute:
Donate: Visit our crowdfunding page (click on the button above) to make a contribution and support the construction of more barriers. Every donation, regardless of size, has a significant impact.
Spread the Word: Share the campaign on social media platforms, including LinkedIn and Instagram. Your outreach helps us reach a broader audience, inspiring more individuals to join this crucial cause.
Corporate Sponsorship: We invite businesses to partner with us in creating a lasting legacy of environmental stewardship. Explore sponsorship opportunities and align your brand with a cause that resonates with customers.
Quotes:
"This holiday season, let's unite to protect our precious rivers and oceans. Your support for the 'Barrier of Hope' campaign can make a significant difference in preserving the environment for future generations." - Victor Preaux, Project Manager, Waste Free Oceans.
Waste Free Oceans expresses heartfelt gratitude to all supporters and anticipates making a lasting impact with the "Barrier of Hope" campaign. Together, let's forge a sustainable and waste-free future for our oceans.
Contact:
Serena Barthoux
Project Manager and Communication Serena.barthoux@wastefreeoceans.org