The Ecopoint Network

Promotion of infrastructures to receive and purchase recyclable materials

In the cities of Maputo and Matola, AMOR has been implementing since 2010 an Eco-point Network. The “eco-points” are points of collection and purchase of recyclable material (paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, metal, oils and electronic waste) where everyone can bring its recyclable waste. In parallel we offer waste collection service with mobile collectors who collect the recyclable waste directly in homes, public or private institutions and organizations, bringing them afterwards in the Eco-point Network. Traditionally, the network of Eco-point was managed by Xidzuki association (mainly composed of women) who support HIV-positive people.

Progressively, AMOR gave increased autonomy to the Ecopoints : the Ecopoints are now managed by independent managers, supported in management and socio-economic “empowerment” (through the legalization of identification documents, simplified license and opening bank accounts), in partnership with ORPHAD – Organization for Promotion of Peace and Development.

Since then, AMOR has been training several organizations, neighbourhoods committees, micro enterprises and others groups
working in the waste management sector in order for them to open and manage an Eco-point. In these formations, the future managers learn about basic sanitation, pre-screening and sorting of waste, packaging and recovery of waste. Training is consolidated with the support for the purchase and sale of the recyclable in the waste market, as well as with monitoring skills.

As an example, in 2015 AMOR trained the Multi-service Oliveira micro-enterprise which does the primary collection in the neighbourhood of Zimpeto, where an Ecopoint is now managed by the micro-enterprise. The same happened with Urbe Limpa,
the micro-enterprise doing the primary collection in the neighbourhood George Dimitrov (Benfica), in Maputo. In Beira, three Ecopoints have been installed, managed by local association and groups.

Today, AMOR seeks financial support to help other groups to open and manage recycling points, but also to develop and intensify the communication about the existing Eco-points Network because much of the population does not know about the existing infrastructure. In Maputo, this shall happen by organizing regular meetings with service providers (collection companies), meetings with the 100 largest waste producers in the City of Maputo and Matola, but also through large-scale communication campaign to the public.

Project sheet of The Ecopoint Network

Localisation

Cities of Maputo , Matola, Vilankulos, Beira…

Themes

• Solid waste purchase,
• Mobile waste collection,
• Communication with service providers and society in general

Project’s Cost

• Opening a sustainable and autonomous Eco-point USD 11000
• Communication campaign: USD 21 500

Duration

6 months for each Eco-point , 18 months for the communication campaign

Purpose

Promote social recycling, improving the environmental and socio-economic conditions of the population

Goals

• Increase population’s awareness about the possibility and the need to recycle;
• Increase volumes recycled through the network of Eco-point

Activities

• Support for micro-enterprises and groups to open Eco-point and sustainably manage them (focused on sustainability)
• Information campaigns to service providers, to the largest producers of waste and to the population. Creation of a municipal fiscalization framework to implement a taxation system that gives an economic incentive to actors to recycle more training of municipal agent MSW management ( Municipal Solid Waste ) Production of video, posters and other communication tools.
• Promotion of recycling in major producing waste companies with CSR measure (corporate social responsibility).

Implementers and partners

• AMOR – Mozambican Association of Recycling
• Municipal Council of Maputo ( CMM)
• Municipal Council of Matola ( CMCM )
• Municipal Council of Beira (BMB)

Vision

• A Mozambican population aware of the recycling benefits, which uses the existing recycling infrastructures.
• Collection companies that promote recycling with their clients and forward the recyclables to the recycling sector.
• A private sector that makes the separation of waste and forward its recyclables to the recycling sector.