“Wastepreneurs”: Huhtamaki and WasteAid partner for waste collection education initiative in South Africa

02 May 2023 --- Huhtamaki has teamed up with international charity WasteAid for a two-year program that provides training and support to South African waste collectors, “Wastepreneurs,” to develop their skills and capacity, move up the value chain and earn more money. 

“The Wastepreneur Challenge is an initiative designed by WasteAid and supported by Huhtamaki to support those on the first rung of the waste management value chain,” Michelle Wilson, director of programs at WasteAid, tells PackagingInsights. 

The Waste Entrepreneurial Challenge Fund commenced in the township of Diepsloot, South Africa, on March 30, 2023. It is designed to support up to 50 informal waste collectors over two years to develop their skills and capacity in recycling.

Furthermore, the challenge will involve a tailored 12-week holistic training course, culminating in an opportunity for candidates to pitch for seed funding to grow their business.

South African waste collectors
WasteAid, a UK-based international NGO, says it has been “pioneering” approaches in South Africa, Egypt and The Gambia to support young waste collectors to move up the value chain to increase the income they make from recycling.

In South Africa, informal waste collectors are a vital part of the country’s recycling system, assert Huhtamaki and WasteAid. 

The group includes people from various backgrounds.Waste collectors provide a much-needed service for communities, diverting waste from landfills or illegally dumped, and provide value to the economy by helping to regenerate value through material reuse. Today, waste collectors collect more than 90% of recycled waste, yet many collectors live on less than ZAR50 Rand (US$2.8), which is not sustainable, stress the companies. 

“The objective is to help the informal waste collectors derive more income from their efforts. In past iterations Wastepreneurs have purchased containers to help them aggregate more material and store them securely. Others have used the funds to fence their existing sites, a laptop to enable them to record their business information digitally,” explains Wilson.

“It is important to support and encourage young Wastepreneurs by showing them the limitless possibilities that the circular economy can offer. In our view, collaboration can make a real difference and that’s why we are delighted with our partnership with WasteAid,” tells us Shane van der Nest, general manager at Huhtamaki South Africa Fiber Foodservice operation. 

“We at Huhtamaki believe that waste is a very valuable secondary material. To make this a reality, incentivization, innovation, partnerships and changes in consumer behavior, all play a role.”

The Wastepreneur Challenge
The group includes people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Female and male, old and young, some have been working in waste for many years but have yet to receive financial literacy or other training. 

Over 12 weeks, participants will take part in a holistic training course on various topics, from better understanding the world of waste to personal and business finance. It will be followed by a month of tailored business mentorship and culminate in a pitching event where the Wastepreneurs can pitch for seed funding to develop their business idea. 

The training builds practical skills in waste, helping Wastepreneurs to understand the breadth of waste streams, processing potential and where they can find end markets for their materials. 

“We have found that groups are made aware of new types of plastic waste streams and new markets. The course also takes the group to a functioning buy back center to look first hand at first stage processing of baling and washing of plastic – giving Wastepreneurs a vision of how they might scale up,” explains Wilson.Core trainer Ursula Lebuso in training session.

“It also focuses on personal finance, communication skills, how to present yourself as a professional, confidence and vision for their life. One of the most popular parts of the course is on personal finance as generally Wastepreneurs have not had the tools to understand how to manage their finances other than day to day. Crucially, the course is mainly delivered by individuals with a lived experience of working in waste.”

Retaining resources 
When asked why Huhtamaki chose South Africa for this challenge, van der Nest tells us that the company has operated in South Africa for over 20 years. 

“We currently employ approximately 800 employees and manufacture fiber packaging for eggs and fruits, food service packaging, such as paper cups and tubs and flexible packaging. Our fiber packaging operations use post-consumer recycled fiber as raw material. We see many opportunities for the circular economy in South Africa and Huhtamaki has invested significantly in sustainability in its operations in South Africa.”

“We would want to, for example, see more raw materials stay within the country rather than being exported. This would mean we could add greater value within South Africa,” asserts van der Nest.

He continues that Huhtamaki has partnered with WasteAid to drive community-level circular economy innovation in South Africa. Aside from providing education and training on waste management and circular systems, the project will enable WasteAid to work with key stakeholders to fast-track and amplify local solutions that create value and reduce waste and pollution in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

“We at Huhtamaki believe that waste is a valuable secondary material. To make this a reality, incentivization, innovation, partnerships and changes in consumer behavior all play a role. It is very important to support and encourage young Wastepreneurs by showing them the limitless possibilities that the circular economy can offer. In our view, collaboration can make a real difference and that’s why we are delighted by our partnership with WasteAid,” explains van der Nest.

Huhtamaki’s general manager for Fiber Food Service in South Africa believes no company can tackle environmental sustainability issues alone. “Therefore, partnering with various entities is a crucial approach to ensure progress. This includes recognizing that not all partnerships are obvious, but rather we must go further afield to find them,” says van der Nest.

“An indirect aim of the course is to give the informal waste collectors recognition for the vital role they play in the recovery of valuable materials. They are the engine of the circular economy in South Africa and this course is a small way of giving back and helping them find pride in their occupation,” concludes Wilson. 

By Natalie Schwertheim