DAR INSPIRED TO RECYCLE TRASH INTO HIGH END PRODUCTS

Participants of the Msasani Beach Clean up and Anza upcycling event looking at some of the products made from waste materials during the event at the Msasani Bonde la Mpunga beach over the weekend.

Participants of the Msasani Beach Clean up and Anza upcycling event looking at some of the products made by Wonder Welders workshop from waste materials during the event at the Msasani Bonde la Mpunga beach over the weekend.

Participants of the Msasani Beach Clean up and Anza upcycling event collecting waste from the Msasani Bonde la Mpunga beach in Dar es salaam over the weekend.

Dar es Salaam residents have been challenged to creatively recycle trash materials and convert them into new materials or products of higher value and quality - which would lead to economic empowerment while giving waste materials a new purpose and most importantly avoiding adding them to landfill.

Sarah Scott, the CEO of Archipelago Productions, organizers of the Msasani Beach Clean Up and Anza Upcycle Fiesta which took place at Msasani Beach in Dar es Salaam over the weekend said during the event that waste products can be turned into treasure and people can make money from it while keeping the environment clean at the same time.

Scott, who has been instrumental in the cleanup of the Msasani beachfront, says there is a lot of trash on this beach that can’t be reused but there are a lot of objects in the streets that can be reused.

The Archipelago, the Anza magazine in collaboration with the Msasani Bonde la Mpunga community

“This is a continuation on our monthly beach clean ups on Msasani beach. Archipelago and Anza magazine have collaborated to bring the community together for a day of cleaning, fun, music and upcycling. We hope to inspire the community to keep their environment clean” said Scott.

According to Scott, the event was designed to promote the upcycling initiatives in Tanzania and it is also a platform for upcyclers to showcase, promote and sell their work and to open people’s eyes to all the possibilities that upcycling brings.

The common denominator is that we make things from consumer recycled material, or what we lovingly call trash. If we want to succeed in closing the loops and creating a truly circular economy, we need to change the common perception that goods made from recycled materials are always a downgrade on what was recycled to make them, and suitable only for low-value applications. We need to think of how waste materials can be recycled, showing that you can take trash and create items that are higher value, higher performance and desirable for consumers.

Msasani Beach Clean Up and Anza Upcycle Fiesta was organized by Archipelago and sponsored by Coca Cola, Anza Magazine, Regent Tanzania, Knight Support, The Recycler, Impact Promotions, Hugo Domingo and Techno Brain.