Bulawayo Recycling Academy

Hi, my name is Qinisani Ndlovu, i am a 36 year old entrepreneur, husband and father of two adorable boys. I started a plastic recycling startup in 2021 although i had done extensive research on plastic waste for over 7 years. My startup is called uMhlaba Waste Recycling and is based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and recycles plastic waste into seating areas and sports equipment for the soccer and cricket disciplines.

uMhlaba is a Ndebele word meaning Earth in English. My country, specifically Bulawayo, despite its status as the industrial hub of Southern Africa is suffering from plastic pollution and unemployment. It is my belief that waste management in particular recycling, has the capacity to employ and clean up the environment owing to constant waste production. Having conducted extensive research, i then launched this waste management startup.

In 2022 i manufactured a plastic shredder from scratch which processes plastic bottles and produces pellets, these are then heated through a process called extrusion. (This innovation was awarded a 1st Runnerup award in the African Influencer Awards Top innovator of the year category). However our production line is incomplete, in place of a shredder we use a home made oven. Our waste quantities have doubled in the last 8 months, and the oven has no capacity to handle all our waste.

I am appealing for financial assistance to add a second machine to our plant that can help extrude plastic better. The end goal is to collect waste from communities in Bulawayo through a hybrid model that i have termed Franchised Waste Management, and if this model is successful can be rolled out and create independent recycling centers across the country.

Our startup is located in the Hillside area in Bulawayo, and has digital presence through the following links:

Umhlaba Recycling WebsiteUmhlaba Waste Recycling InstagramLinkedin Page