MIDLANDS – As the world commemorates Global Recycling Day on March 18, 2025, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) is issuing an urgent call to action for citizens, policymakers, and industries across Zimbabwe to rethink waste management. Under this year’s theme, “Breaking Barriers: A Revolutionary Blueprint for the Waste Management Crisis,” EMA is pushing for innovative solutions to tackle the growing waste crisis, starting with simple steps like separating waste at source. Oswald Ndlovu, EMA Midlands spokesperson, emphasized, “We need to take action now. Waste recovery not only minimizes what ends up in landfills but also unlocks financial benefits for our communities.”
A Growing Crisis in Numbers
The stakes are high. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Waste Management Outlook 2024, the world generated over 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste in 2022, a number projected to surge to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050 without intervention. The cost of managing this waste could climb from $252 billion in 2020 to over $417 billion annually by mid-century. Locally, Zimbabwe produces about 1.7 million tonnes of waste each year, yet only 20% is properly managed or recycled, leaving the majority to pile up in landfills and informal dumpsites—threatening both the environment and public health.
The History of Global Recycling Day
Global Recycling Day, launched on March 18, 2018, by the Global Recycling Foundation, has grown into a powerful global movement to promote recycling as a cornerstone of sustainability. From its early focus on recyclables as “The Seventh Resource” in 2019 to envisioning “Recycling into the Future” in 2022, the day has consistently rallied support for waste reduction. This year’s theme builds on that legacy, calling for a radical shift to overcome systemic barriers like inadequate infrastructure and low public awareness.
A Blueprint for Change
EMA’s message aligns with the global push for a circular economy, where waste is transformed into a resource. Ndlovu highlighted the need for a paradigm shift: “Increased consumption and unsustainable production patterns have overwhelmed our systems. We must move toward recovering materials for recycling.” Globally, a circular approach could save $162 billion annually in waste management costs while recovering $91 billion in materials, according to UNEP. In Zimbabwe, recycling initiatives could turn plastics, glass, and metals into income streams for local communities, reducing landfill reliance and boosting the economy.
Joining the Movement
EMA is rolling out community education programs and partnerships to improve waste separation and recycling rates, starting in the Midlands. “Separating waste at source is a small step with a big impact,” Ndlovu said. “It’s time to see waste not as a problem, but as an opportunity.” As Global Recycling Day 2025 unfolds, the agency’s rallying cry is clear: breaking barriers today is the key to a sustainable tomorrow.
