Ibadan Has a Waste Problem: This Firm Shows How to Make Money, Create Jobs and Fashion Out of It

The Kenyan start-up Gjenge Makers creates pavers that are stronger and cheaper than typical concrete by heating a mixture of shredded plastic waste and sand and then compressing it to form the blocks.

Joebliss Enterprise purchases and collects paper waste from homes, businesses, and collection agents in Abuja, Nigeria, and processes it for recycling, reducing the amount that produces methane emissions in landfills.

Landscaping businesses in California are trading in the typical tools and chemicals for goat herds. The practice of bringing in goats to munch on unwanted vegetation, called targeted grazing, is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than traditional landscaping.

One Step Greener collects trash from residents of Delhi, India, and sorts the recyclables to be sold to recyclers. This practice keeps trash out of landfills and improves the air quality of the city.

The Philadelphia-based company Solar States offers a paid training opportunity for city residents to learn to install solar panels and earn the necessary credentials to help them start careers in the industry. The company’s newest program, Find Your Ladder, is a training opportunity for people who have been through the criminal justice system.

The Denmark-based startup LastObject manufactures reusable menstrual products that produce less waste than the typical throw-away versions. Its reusable pad is made of polyester and bamboo and can be washed and reused for up to 10 years.

Companies are beginning to grow offshore seaweed for human consumption as a protein option that’s better for the environment. Growing seaweed on ropes in the ocean is less land-intensive, sequesters carbon, and doesn’t require fertilizer or pesticides.

A junk removal service in Athens, Georgia, is slowing the growth of the local landfill by recycling, donating, and giving away the items it can before taking the rest to the landfill.

A startup in Germany created an online platform, Cirplus, that connects recycling companies with manufacturers and distributors in the plastic industry. The site encourages the move towards a circular economy by improving transparency for buyers and sellers.

The Shred Up Halabja Recycling Center is the first successful plastic collection and recycling system in Halabja, Iraq. The project collects plastics from schools, homes, and public places to recycle and turn into usable products. It also educates students about the importance of recycling to encourage understanding and innovation.