The Zabaleen in Egypt demonstrate that there is a huge potential for zero-waste programmes in Africa. In contrast to many other places in the world, the continent’s waste composition is characterised by a high percentage of organic waste due to the preparation of fresh food and limited use of packaging. The method of feeding organic waste to animals is old and has been applied also in cities such as Sousse in Tunisia and Moshi in Tanzania. Another striking example is Bamako in Mali, which has reached a high recycling rate through terreautage – the practice of selling unprocessed and partially composted waste to crop and vegetable farmers.

A similar process is taking place in Zanzibar, Tanzania. In September 2017, the island initiated a zero-waste pilot project in which 200 households from low-income areas were selected to perform waste segregation. Eight people were also given the responsibility to educate their peers about waste collection and processing. The workers receive a monthly salary and they can make extra income from selling the compost as well as dry waste such as metal, plastics, glass, and carton paper.