Circular Economy

The current linear economic model, characterized by the take-make-waste approach, poses significant challenges to sustainability, leading to environmental degradation and resource depletion. SIB-K advocates for a shift to a Circular Economy, which emphasizes renewable energy, resource regeneration, and waste reduction. This model supports sustainable business practices, promotes recycling, and aims to create a resilient system benefiting both people and the planet. The linear economy’s negative impact is exemplified by plastic waste, with a vast majority ending up in landfills or the environment. In Kenya, the Circular Economy is seen as a means to address waste, create jobs, and support the manufacturing sector by reusing and repurposing materials.

The Challenge of the Linear Economic Model

The biggest challenge to sustainability lies in the current linear–take, make, waste economic model and an outdated energy system. This cradle-to-grave model is fixed on an industrial mindset where producers assume the resources they use are unlimited and, therefore, are never restored. In this case, short-term profits are placed at the top of the pyramid at the expense of people and the planet. Ultimately, contaminated air and water become just some of the inevitable outcomes of the lopsided pressure applied to the ecosystem.

The Circular Economy Solution

For this reason, SIB-K focuses on shifting from this model to a more Circular Economy that brings together all different and urgent topics to drive towards a low-carbon economy while meeting Sustainable Development Goals. A circular economy is a system built on renewable energy and regenerative models, and it keeps resources in use over and over without putting anything to waste.

We support business and societal models, material life-span expansion, proper waste management practices, boost recycling opportunities, incubate innovative and sustainable business solutions, help businesses redesign models and create regenerative approaches, communicate to raise awareness, drive behavioral change, and educate positively. The advocacy for a circular model is based on its emphasis on redefining growth, focusing not only on profits but also on resilient and thriving systems with a positive impact on the planet and people.

The Problem of Plastic Waste

One of the gravest impacts of the linear economy has been the irresponsible disposal of plastics, especially single-use, on the environment. Unsightly landfills and litter in parks and even beaches continuously choke our environment. We have published a trend report on single-use plastics, which indicates that 79% of plastic waste produced globally now sits in landfills, dumps, or the environment. In comparison, 12% has been incinerated, and only 9% has been recycled globally. Published data shows that only 8% of plastic is recycled in Kenya (IUCN, 2021).

Circular Economy Practices in Kenya

In a Circular Economy, waste is considered part of the system (a resource or material that should stay or become an input repeatedly). It is reintroduced into the cycle to regenerate other products. This reduces the amount of materials (waste) disposed into the environment and creates new value as input for the next cycle. One of Kenya’s Big Four agendas is manufacturing. We also look at how to make one industry’s by-product into another industry’s raw material. In a circular economy, companies prioritize reusing, repairing, and re-manufacturing products designed to keep resources in use for as long as possible. We believe this is a direct way to create more jobs at a time when the rate of unemployment, especially among the youth, continues to rise.

Projects

USAID – Enhancing the Business Enabling Environment for the Plastics Sub-Sector in Kenya

USAID - Enhancing the Business Enabling Environment for the Plastics Sub-Sector in Kenya The project is centered on catalyzing Kenya's transition towards a circular economy by promoting adherence to laws and regulations that foster circularity within the plastics sector. It operates through collaboration with various stakeholders, including the public and private sectors, multi-stakeholder platforms like [...]

The Kenya Plastics Pact

The Kenya Plastics Pact It is an ambitious, collaborative initiative that brings together stakeholders across the whole plastics value chain to transform the current linear plastics system into a circular economy for plastics. All stakeholders involved sign up to a joint set of ambitious and time-bound targets (Elimination of all problematic & unnecessary plastics, 100% [...]

The COAST Project Phase I and II

The COAST Project Phase I and II The COAST project (Phases 1 & 2) aimed to support women and youth in Mombasa County, Tudor Moroto, to create opportunities to generate income through sustainable trade. The project, led by the Sustainable Inclusive Business, empowered women and youth by harnessing their entrepreneurship skills and enhancing access to [...]

See all Circular Economy Projects

Reports & Insights

TNO 2022 P10846_Kenya Project Report WP3 and 4_vs1

TNO 2022 P10846_Kenya Project Report WP3 and 4_vs1 This sub-report presents the results for activity 3 and 4. The aim of these activities is to identify practices for value retention processes (circular processes) and for system structures from other countries. These best practices give input to give recommendations for handling LHHA’s in Kenya. The value [...]

SUP Webinar Report

SUP Webinar Report On 26th May 2020, Sustainable Inclusive Business (SIB-Kenya) in partnership with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) held the Single Use Plastics webinar, which aimed to prepare players in the tourism, hospitality and MICE industries for the single-use plastic ban that would take effect of June 5th, and how to tackle the [...]

SIB Report on Setting Up a Sustainable Business Model for EPR

SIB Report on Setting Up a Sustainable Business Model for EPR Kenya as a country has made major strides in dealing with careless disposal practice that has led to adverse effects on the environment. The Ministry of Environment employed a lot of effort in tackling plastic in collaboration with the private sector. Kenya through the [...]

Kenya Project Report WP2-final

Kenya Project Report WP2-final The economic development of Kenya will undoubtedly lead to an increase in the ‘consumption’ of electric and electronic equipment (EEE) (among which fall the large household appliances LHHA) and consequently also to a rise in WEEE, waste from EEE. But the absolute level of LHHAs in society and therefore also the [...]

Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations 2022 Brief

Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations 2022 Brief The Ministry of Environment and Forestry has finished the development of the Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations 2022. For the EPR regulations 2022, a producer is defined as “an entity that introduces goods, products and packaging into the country using authorized means by manufacturing, importing, distributing, converting, filling, re-filling, repacking [...]

Ewaste workshop Report

Ewaste workshop Report The Circular Economy & E-Waste Management Workshop, held on 11th December 2019 brought together 26 professionals, industry players, change makers and innovators operating in Kenya. The aim was to share their experiences, to learn from one another and discuss good practice partnership models on what to do after electronics have been declared [...]

Circular Agriculture Brochure final

Circular Agriculture Brochure final Agriculture is all an integral part of the Kenyan way of life. While Kenya exports a lot of agricultural produce, many families have small pieces of land upcountry for personal use. Kenya has space and a good climate to grow horti and flori cultural produce. To mitigate climate change; increase food [...]

CE Agri Roundtable Report

CE Agri Roundtable Report Agriculture is the back-born of Kenya’s economy, contributing 26% of the GDP. While Kenyans undertake commercial agriculture majorly in horti- and floriculture, many families engage in subsistence farming on their small pieces of land. The small-scale farmers sell their products and use the proceeds to buy other commodities to sustain their [...]

BEC Report Final 11Jan19

BEC Report Final 11Jan19 Plastics are widely used in our economies and societies. However, billions of kilograms of plastics end up as waste. These wasted plastics are a threat to our environment, economic sectors and ultimately to our health. Plastics take more than 100 years to degrade and a lot of plastic waste pollutes our [...]