From a wonder of the ancient world to some of the planet’s most breathtaking national parks, it’s no surprise that Africa has been cited as the second fastest-growing tourism region in the world, just behind Asia-Pacific.1 Unfortunately, as well as a thriving tourism industry, it has been estimated that the volume of waste across the continent will triple from 174 million tons a year from 2016 to approximately 516 million tons by 2050.2
In this article, the waste and recycling experts at Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) explore how investing in better recycling could see hospitality businesses improve sustainability while also reducing waste management costs.
The growing waste problem in Africa’s tourism industry
Currently, most of Africa’s waste (90%) is disposed of at uncontrolled dump sites and landfills, often followed by open burning3 with only 4 percent being recycled.4 It has been reported that these dump sites emit around 20 percent of the world’s methane and 11 percent of black carbon, both greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.5 Not only are these sites harmful to the planet but the particulate matter emitted by these sites has been proven to cause serious illnesses amongst people living nearby.6
The global hospitality industry has faced several challenges in recent years, which have left businesses trying to balance increased guest and stakeholder expectations, higher operational costs and productivity pressures. But with increased scrutiny of environmental credentials and updates to legislation to contend with, hotels and restaurants must make improving recycling a priority.
Raising the bar on recycling
While it’s clear that greater investment in waste management is required at a national level, as the continent’s tourism and hospitality sectors boom and the global awareness around climate change and sustainability increases, hospitality businesses must lead the way by implementing better recycling practices.
Across the world, better recycling practices have even proved better for business, leading to venues reducing waste management costs and boosting sustainability credentials. In fact, with the right waste management systems in place, hospitality businesses in the UK have recorded typical sector savings of 32 percent on waste collection costs and a 30 percent increase in recycling rate.7
How can you implement effective multi-stream recycling in your venue?
Visible signage and colour coding
Reduce cross-contamination and boost recycling efficiency by making recycling easy for your customers and employees. Clear and color-coded signage with familiar symbols will help people quickly identify what type of waste can be recycled where. Although you’ll need different types of bins in different locations, choosing a manufacturer who can provide consistent colour-coding and messaging across all your containers will help you to embed a culture of recycling compliance within your venue, as well as demonstrate your dedication to sustainability.
Make it modular
Choosing modular systems allows you to separate waste into the appropriate streams easily, allowing you to be flexible when your business’ needs change and minimises the risk of costly cross-contamination. They are also typically easier to maintain and clean versus ‘all in one’ systems.
Durability
Investing in waste and recycling containers that last longer means you buy better and waste less, helping you to support sustainability targets and cut costs. What’s more, look for solutions that come with long warranties for added peace of mind.
Find out more about RCP’s range
RCP’s range of recycling bins offers solutions for both back and front of house. Available in multiple specifications to suit your business’ needs, the range offers durable and robust recycling solutions, fit to tackle today’s hospitality challenges.
For further insights, tips and products that can help the hospitality sector improve sustainability, while controlling costs and boosting productivity, click here.