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A busy food market generating organic waste
Longacres market is one of the busiest marketplaces in Lusaka, Zambia. It has a diverse range of stores and stands, the majority of which are restaurants. The market serves a population of about 3200 people. Before 2021, the market was generating huge volumes of garbage. It was drowning in its own organic waste. There was a lack of proper sanitation facilities in the market, making it a breeding ground for disease. The combination of waste and poor facilities posed a major health risk for the marketeers, as well as for the hundreds of people who visit the market daily to purchase goods and services, or to eat at the restaurants.
Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association (BORDA) Zambia is a Zambian civil society organization that has specialized in promoting sustainable environmental protection through integrated solutions. BORDA Zambia initiated a programme of work at Longacres market in 2021. The organization subsequently acquired funding from a German development agency, BMZ, to help establish solid waste management systems and proper sanitation solutions for Lusaka city markets. Longacres market was selected to be a pilot for the city-wide programme.
• Waste disposal changes from being a problem to being a solution if the waste is classified and separated for further processing.
• Putting solid waste in the right bin reduces littering and keeps the environment clean.
• People can take responsibility by separating biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, before discarding it for further processing, recycling or reuse.
The collected waste is then carried to a nearby Material Recovery Facility, where paper, plastic, metal or other material is separated, and processed for reuse or recycled. Organic waste on the other hand is promptly transferred to a bio-digester at a school near the market. The bio-digester produces methane gas that is then used by the school for cooking, and the digested bio-waste is used as fertilizer for gardening. The energy generated from the waste is used for lighting in three houses within the school and the school canteen.