Protecting and conserving the environment in Zambia

A new collaboration to establish a PRO system

On 21st July 2023, the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a consortium comprising one Zambian and two German companies. The two German companies are BlackForest Solutions (BFS) GmbH and Landbell Group, and the Zambian company is Green Earth Solutions (GES).

The consortium is a specialised environmental service provider and project management group, experienced in the implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) and the operation of a producer responsibility organisation (PRO).

The consortium will undertake a study on EPR policy in Zambia, which will extend producers’ responsibility for a product to the post-consumer stage of its lifecycle. The aim is to incentivise producers to consider environmental consequences when designing their products: to increase the waste collection rate, divert waste from landfills, and improve recycling and recovery rates in the country.

ZEMA and the consortium will collaborate on this study to assess the feasibility of establishing a PRO in Zambia and evaluate the legal framework applicable to the functional EPR and PRO system.

This collaboration between the two parties shows a true commitment from both the government and private sector to find sustainable solutions to waste in the country, which will contribute to both the circular economy and the environment at large.

The consortium is expected to commence the study in September and all relevant stakeholders will be called upon to contribute and ensure that the project is successful.

The Zambian and German companies, which have already been cooperating since 2019 in Zambia, have successfully conducted numerous projects together in Zambia and in Germany. Based on this cooperation, the consortium has gained extensive knowledge about the waste management system in Zambia and all the stakeholders involved, which will help to complete the project and start operations on the ground in relatively short time.