The circular economy is a model of production which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. This practice implies or aims at reducing waste to a minimum. Once a product reaches the end of its life, its materials are to be kept within the economy through recycling. This allows them to be used again and again.
Generating energy from waste is the best step toward building a circular economy. As discussed previously, renewable energy can be used to create different forms of energy such as electricity and heat that can be used in our homes and businesses. The protection of the environment through waste-to-energy depends on the efficiency of the plant turning waste into energy and the proportion of the waste that is biodegradable. There are a few ways that generate energy from waste, these include:
i) Combustion
ii) Gasification
iii) Anaerobic digestion
iv) Landfill gas recovery
v) Pyrolysis
In Africa, waste-to-energy generation isn’t the most popular energy source however as of this year there has been a big step towards this in Ethiopia where the majority of its waste was dumped on a vast, ever-growing landfill site that covers an area the size of 36 football pitches. In 2017, a landslide from said landfill caused up to 114 deaths becoming a national tragedy. An Ethiopian entrepreneur is tackling the crisis with Africa’s first waste-to-energy plant, which reduces noxious and dangerous landfill while powering urban homes. The plant is said to be able to supply 30% of Addis Ababa’s household energy needs and incinerate roughly 80% of its rubbish.
While waste-to-energy has been highly adopted in more developed countries, in Africa our most common method of disposing of waste involves polluting our waterbodies and our environment. Many of the sites and landfills and dumping sites are grounds for disease and infections. It would be a step in the right direction if many more countries in Africa adopted new technologies that will help us adopt new sources of energy that come from waste and breaking the constant cycle, we’re now faced with in regard to failing to manage our waste.
BENEFITS OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
Reduces the use of non-renewable resources.
For years we as human beings have overused our limited resources, and this has caused a danger to our environment. We continue to consume non-renewable resources like oil and metal ores as though we have an endless supply. This practice is not sustainable.
With a circular economy, practices like reusing resources and refurbishing old products (rather than throwing them away) are promoted. This ensures that fewer non-renewable resources are used because we can extend the lives of the resources we have at present.
Environment protection.
A circular economy helps to minimize carbon emissions that come from waste materials since its entire model revolves around the sustainable management of materials. Through a circular economy, materials are managed more efficiently through the reuse of products and materials, recycling, the encouragement of the use of renewable resources, and maintaining sustainable practices. In the long run, this helps us protect and conserve our environment.
Job opportunities
The task that is waste management is a full-time job. The methods and practices that help our society adopt the circular economy are practices that require labor and experts to help us execute. One of the best ways this awards us with job opportunities is when factories and establishments are built to help incinerate waste in order to turn it into energy.
“The essence of the circular economy is to redefine the way we consider growth.”
–Unknown