Global Recycling Day 2025: False narratives and real solutions for plastic waste in Africa

For Global Recycling Day 2025, Break Free from Plastic (BFFP) and The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Africa have highlighted false recycling schemes, waste picker rights, and thermal incineration in a webinar titled: “Unpicking Plastic Recycling: The Facts, Fiction, and Future.”

In the webinar, attended by Packaging Insights, GAIA Africa promotes a global shift toward environmental justice by sponsoring grassroots movements globally. The organization has a trans-local model work structure that respects decentralized leadership, fosters solidarity, and identifies common environmental problems to eliminate pollution.

BBFP is a global NGO dedicated to eliminating plastic pollution. It includes over 13,000 organizations worldwide that advocate for and demand changes in plastic production and recycling.

Merris Naidoo, Africa Plastics campaigner for GAIA and BFFP, says: “Over the last few years, the concept of recycling has been contentious even though there is a consensus in the narrative that recycling is not enough — despite that, recycling is still a critical part of zero waste systems along with the inclusion of the informal sector.”

According to the West Africa Coastal Areas Management Programme, 125 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) was generated in Africa in 2012 — a figure that is expected to double by 2025. 

On average, 13% of MSW generated in Africa is plastic, and 57% is organic waste. Despite this, the waste collection services in many countries are inadequate to meet demands — the average MSW collection rate is 55%. 

“GAIA Africa is therefore taking the opportunity this Global Recycling Day to spotlight the realities of recycling and waste management across the continent,” says Naidoo. 

Understanding the narrative 

Recycling is one of many strategies to reduce plastic waste, yet its progress is hindered by a lack of infrastructure and misinformation about how it works. 

SAWPA represents waste pickers in national and international negotiations, safeguarding their rights and livelihoods.Katie Drews, CEO and co-president of Eureka Recycling, acknowledges that “even though we are a recycler, we truly believe that recycling cannot address the waste crisis alone.”

“Recycling is done best when reduction and reuse are also utilized. Society often considers the recycling market the ultimate environmental solution, but the truth is far more complex. The plastic industry has strategically promoted recycling to maintain high production levels, but recycling can’t solve and clean up all the plastic produced yearly.”

Indeed, most plastic waste is in landfills, incinerators, or the environment. While recycling is beneficial in circumventing plastic waste, Drews says consumers should be wary of an industry known for false marketing and greenwashing. 

She also notes that “the more plastic we produce, the harder it becomes to manage,” highlighting overconsumption and mass production as key challenges that must be addressed in campaigns to reduce packaging waste. 

Getting global policy on the ground 

While consumers and the industry struggle to understand conflicting narratives about recycling, Johnson Doe and Ntombi Lefuthane from the South African Waste Pickers Association (SAWPA) suggest a “micro-approach” to recycling. 

SAWPA aims to increase public awareness and consumer education and enshrine waste pickers in international regulation like the UN Global Plastic Treaty. 

Doe says: “While recycling is an essential practice of reducing waste and conserving natural resources, there is a need to understand the different types of plastic, their uses, and challenges with their disposal. Some of the impacts of plastic affect vulnerable populations, indigenous people, and the waste picker community.”

“The future for recycling lies in implementing inclusive and mandatory EPR systems as a tangible solution. Also, efforts should be made to reduce the production of single-use plastics, introduce legitimate recycling programs, and engage key stakeholders in the waste sector, like waste pickers.”

Lefuthane details how the SAWPA represents waste pickers in national and international negotiations, safeguarding their rights and livelihoods. Recognition of waste pickers’ rights can mean inclusion in policy- and decision-making spaces, improving working conditions, and utilizing their knowledge and experience. 

Recycling schemes and systems take many forms, including converting energy to waste through incineration.While the industry and consumers must understand the significant global narratives surrounding recycling, Lefuthane and Doe highlight the day-to-day work of campaigners to reduce packaging waste so that workers are not forgotten.

Real or false solutions? 

Recycling schemes and systems take many forms, including converting energy to waste through incineration. Weyinmi Okotie, clean air program manager at GAIA Africa, notes that the conversation surrounding waste — specifically plastic waste — often focuses on plastic waste management rather than the issue of waste-to-energy systems, specifically thermal incineration. 

“Waste-to-energy incineration comes with many impacts — environmental, climate-related, health issues — because these facilities emit air pollutants into the environment. Incinerators are promoted as climate-friendly ways to manage waste. Some even go as far as calling incinerators renewable energy. That’s the biggest lie — burning fossil fuels as renewable energy,” he says. 

Toxic air pollution can seriously affect human reproduction, disrupt endocrine systems, and is mainly carcinogenic. Okotie is especially cautious of chemical recycling, which aims to break down plastic to make other materials. 

“We need to be careful about such technology. Most of the time, it’s a false solution and always wants us to keep producing waste. It competes with and undermines mechanical recycling and waste reduction efforts,” he says.

“We need to promote zero-waste solutions, reduce single-use plastic, and phase out plastics that cannot be recycled. We must focus on waste segregation at the source while encouraging alternative service delivery models.”

“Moreover, the solution is to support recycling and ensure informal waste picker inclusion. Finally, we should avoid false solutions which divert attention, energy, and resources from true solutions.”