Community Based Waste Management and Upcycling Enterprises – Watamu, Kenya
www.watamumarine.co.ke [email protected] Watamu National Marine Park and Reserve Watamu Marine Association brings together over 30 representative groups and organisations from the Community, Environment and Tourism Sectors. We serve over 5,000 people
3 The Main Activities of WMA Ecotourism and sustainable community based tourism enterprise development Mida Creek Community Ecotourism Enterprises
6 Dolphin and Whale Conservation, Research and Ecotourism
7 Community Based Waste Management Enterprises Our Oceans are dynamic systems made up of complex network of currents that circulate around the world. Large systems of these currents creates Gyres –massive slow rotating whirlpools in which plastic trash accumulates
Watamu Marine Park Beach Plastic Threats to our Marine Environment and Biodiversity
Plastic contents from the stomach of a dead juvenile sea turtle in Watamu – more than 500 pieces
Is this what we want our beaches to look like? Or do we want them to look like this? What we can do as coastal communities and the marine tourism industry to help reduce our marine debris problems Local and Sustainable Solutions to a Global Problem - Community Based Waste Management – Recycling and Upcycling Project launch 2010
The Blue Team Beach Cleaners and Waste Collectors 25 local community members receive a weekly income Since 2010 our tourism sector sponsorship enables weekly beach cleanups
Hotel Waste Sorting Facilities Hotel beach cleaning teams All waste in Kenya goes to landfill
“How to turn Trash into Cash”
Construction begins in 2014 The Plastic and Glass Recycling Centre aims to collect all plastic and glass waste from beaches, hotels and residents Waste sorting area
Plastic Waste Recycling Value Chains
Glass and Plastic Bottle Upcycling
Bottle Walls
Latest Construction 2016
10% saving on standard building blocks
5,626 bottles
Art installation made from 1000 bottles
“Is this the future for construction in Kenya”
More marine debris upcycling value chains Flip flop sorting
Flip flops can be upcycled and made into curios, which can generate income for local artists Curtain being made from waste flip flops generates an income for this small business enterprise of 5 community group members
10 local artists make a living from marine debris
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Marine debris sea turtles exhibited in Hawaii at the International Marine Debris Conference in 2011
Kenya bans plastic bags
UN Announces SEED Award Winners 2011 with a Focus on African Entrepreneurs
“Watamu Community Solid Waste Management and Recycling Enterprises” serves as an example of successful cooperation between community organisations and the local marine tourism industry in creating a plastic recycling value chain. The results are cleaned-up beaches and employment opportunities for women and youth. WMA Chairman Justin Kitsao receiving the SEED Award in South Africa in 2012 Tokyo 2016 Nairobi 2016 The Future • Expand waste plastic processing capacity to generate an income for community waste management operations. 2018 target – 30,000kg of glass and 20,000kg of plastic waste
• Further develop community based recycling/upcycling small business enterprises
• Target all hotels and resorts in the area to recycle 90% of their waste
• Upcycling as a tourist attraction A Public and Tourist Attraction By creating dynamic waste value chains, local communities in African coastal resort towns can play a significant role in waste management and reducing marine debris in their local area A model for replication - where will your EcoWorld be? THANK YOU ASANTE!