Africa’s protected areas double down on circularity

From the newsletter

South Africa’s Kruger National Park is piloting a recycling initiative that includes the installation of clearly marked waste-separation bins across parts of the park. The move is part of a broader trend across Africa, where protected areas are going beyond waste collection to implement recycling and improved waste-management systems.

• As visitor numbers grow, parks are increasingly aware of the material footprint tourism brings, prompting efforts to redesign waste systems to balance conservation goals with the realities of modern travel and consumption.

• Treating pollution prevention and resource recovery as integral to conservation, is helping parks protect biodiversity while managing the pressures of growing tourism.

More details

• The initiative is implemented through a partnership between South African National Parks (SANParks) and producer responsibility organisation Petco. It introduces a three-bin waste separation system in parts of the park. The animal-proof, colour-coded bins separate recyclables (green), non-recyclables (grey) and compostables (brown), marking a step towards formal waste segregation in a high-traffic conservation area.

• The park joins a growing number of protected areas in Africa going beyond basic waste control. At Mole National Park in Ghana, reuse, upcycling and plastic-selling initiatives help cut pollution while involving surrounding communities. On Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, a long-running “trash in, trash out” system requires climbers and operators to take their waste back down for proper collection.

• Since June 2020, African Parks and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste have worked to tackle plastic pollution in up to 17 protected areas across 11 African countries. The partnership supports better waste systems, education programmes, community engagement and clean-ups. The aim is to reduce plastic leakage and protect wildlife and ecosystems.

• Protected areas produce a variety of waste from tourism and park operations. Visitor waste, like plastic bottles and food packaging, is the most visible. Organic waste from camps and lodges is common but often underused despite its composting potential. Park operations generate additional waste, while veterinary and anti-poaching activities create hazardous or medical waste that must be handled carefully. Many parks also face legacy or cross-border pollution, such as plastics carried by rivers or wind. This means that park-level actions alone cannot solve the problem.

• Rising tourism and stricter policies are pushing Africa’s protected areas to manage waste more actively. Parks now see waste as an ecological risk and use recycling, diversion and on-site treatment. Many initiatives are supported by private partners and eco-conscious visitors and integrate waste management into conservation planning.

• In many parts of Africa, circularity in protected areas is still focused on waste management. Most efforts deal with materials after they enter parks instead of preventing them upstream. While packaging rules and supplier take-backs exist. They are limited. Without better control over what enters the parks, successes stay limited to the park itself.

Our take

• Protected areas are left cleaning up waste from outside, with weak regional systems making the problem worse.

• Even good recycling inside parks can’t fix materials meant for disposal. Without upstream policies, like procurement rules and producer responsibility, circular conservation will stay limited.