[Press Release] GAIA Member Projects Demonstrate Zero Waste as a Solution to the Climate Crisis in East Africa

Over the last few years, the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and the Break Free From Plastic (BFFP) movement, with support from the Plastics Solution Fund (PSF), have partnered with organisations across African countries to design and implement local projects and campaigns focused on environmental justice, plastic reduction and other zero waste strategies. These initiatives have demonstrated that a zero waste future is possible, and it’s already happening. 

In Uganda, End Plastic Pollution developed and executed a zero waste model in Masulita Town, Wakiso District, where limited waste management systems once left communities struggling with pollution. Through this initiative, waste recovery increased by 30% by the end of the project. The organisation diverted a measurable percentage of waste from the Ssekanyonyi Dumpsite, thereby preventing methane emissions. Reforming the waste sector could reduce global methane emissions by 13%. Community representatives were trained to lead peer-to-peer education efforts, ensuring the model continues to grow from within. The urgency of this work cannot be overstated. 

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the waste sector remains the largest contributor to urban emissions after the energy sector and is the third-largest source of methane emissions globally, with these emissions continuing to rise. 

Methane is a short-lived greenhouse gas that traps 82.5 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Reforming the waste sector could reduce global methane emissions by 13%, with potential reductions in waste methane emissions of up to 95% achievable through composting, bio-stabilisation, and biologically active cover for dumpsites. Additionally, waste segregation and organic composting can lower landfill methane emissions by 62%.

In Ethiopia, Eco-justice Ethiopia established a strong foundation for advancing zero waste strategies and environmental justice in Woreda 09, Yeka Sub City, where communities face growing waste challenges. The initiative supported local compost manufacturers to transform organic waste into valuable resources and integrated waste pickers into formal discussions. Eco-justice Ethiopia also contributed to shifting public discourse beyond incineration, published a city-wide Plastic-Free Guide, influenced national plastic policy, and represented African civil society in global treaty negotiations.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Solidarité pour la Protection des Droits de l’Enfant led the Bukavu Zero Waste City initiative, part of a broader effort to build cleaner, healthier, and more resilient communities. Through this initiative, over 100,000 people were reached through awareness-raising activities and 480 tons of waste were collected. The project also created three waste picker committees, strengthening inclusive local systems. Promoting organic waste recovery, it enabled the production of 300 tons of compost and 1.2 tons of black soldier fly larvae, supporting 90 farmers. These efforts are empowering communities to take control of their environment and drive lasting, systemic change.

When GAIA was founded 26 years ago, the concept of zero waste in Africa was often viewed as unfamiliar. Today, GAIA members like End Plastic Pollution, Eco-Justice Ethiopia, and SOPRODE have demonstrated that it is a viable solution to addressing climate change, public health risks, social inequality, and economic hardship. Through collaboration with city officials, their efforts to develop and implement zero waste programmes have become a blueprint for municipalities in Africa, advancing a growing global movement.

During the Zero Waste Stories from Africa webinar on 26 March 2026, experts highlighted the impacts of the three projects and discussed how their zero waste approaches are contributing to reduced methane emissions and advancing climate action.

Eskadar Awgichew of Eco Justice Ethiopia 

“Addis Ababa’s waste system is centralised, landfill-dependent, and under growing pressure from incineration models. We believe that a decentralised zero waste approach can transform the system by diverting organic and plastic waste, formally integrating waste pickers, and replacing false solutions to the waste management crisis with more circular models.”

Patricia Namwanga of End Plastic Pollution

“Through our implementation of the zero waste model in Masuulita town, we can confirm that the zero waste concepts are an innovation that can unlock the opportunities along the supply chain, making waste a resource. We have proven that an integrated approach, empowering waste pickers, mobilising youth, engaging government and using data works.”

Robert Kitumaini of Solidarité pour la Protection des Droits de l’Enfant
“In Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, SOPRODE has demonstrated that organic waste is not a problem but a solution: by transforming it into compost and resources for agriculture, we have contributed to mitigating methane emissions, furthermore, ensuring food security, and creating green jobs for local communities. By addressing food waste through community-based systems, we can reduce methane emissions, support regenerative agriculture, and build more resilient and self-sufficient communities.”

The results from these projects illustrate that local waste solutions are not merely environmental interventions but also pathways to healthier communities, stronger local economies, and sustainable responses to the climate crisis. 

ENDS

For more information, please contact:  Ibrahim Khalilulahi Usman – khalil@no-burn.org 

ABOUT GAIA 

GAIA: GAIA is a global network of grassroots groups, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and individuals, in over 90 countries. The organisation envisions a just, zero-waste world built on respect for ecological limits and community rights, where people are free from the burden of toxic pollution, and resources are sustainably conserved, not burned or dumped. GAIA works to catalyse a global shift towards environmental justice by strengthening grassroots social movements that advance solutions to waste and pollution. www.no-burn.org