Illegal dumping sites are a threat to the environment and the health and well-being of communities. Most of the rubbish piling up in landfills can be reused and recycled instead of polluting the environment. Waste is often seen as a cumbersome issue and many businesses avoid taking responsibility for their waste.
The predicted landfill crisis is a concern that Mafiso Xulu the founder of MFT Waste Solutions is addressing through his waste management business. “I help companies to re-use and repurpose their waste to avoid it ending up in landfills, he said.
Businesses operating in South Africa are legally required to comply with national standards of waste management which stipulate that businesses must take responsibility for their waste to avoid being prosecuted.
Social impact businesses
Entrepreneurs like Xulu are entering the waste management sector to make a meaningful impact. His business MFT Waste Solutions based in Boksburg, Gauteng and has two warehouses where collected waste is sorted, crushed, and reused.
Getting the business up and running was not easy. He initially struggled to secure a warehouse to operate from because he didn’t have money to pay a rental deposit. After he managed to rent his first warehouse, he had to ensure it met health and safety requirements and purchase expensive machinery.
“Once I met all the legal requirements, I was able to start working with big companies like Unilever,” he said. MFT Waste Solutions helps Unilever to keep hazardous waste out of landfills by treating their waste or crushing it before returning it to the company to reuse.
Job creation opportunities
The United Nations Environment Programme reports that 244 million tons of solid waste will be produced in Africa within the next decade. All this waste will need to be collected, reused, and recycled and jobs can be created.
“I currently employ over 60 people and 37 of them are from the Tembisa Self-Help Association of the Disabled (T-SHAD) that I work closely with,” he said proudly. As the fights against waste intensifies, there will be loads of business opportunities that can lead to economic growth and job creation.
He added that there is always work to be done in the waste sector. There is a need for more businesses to work in un-serviced areas where there are illegal dumping sites.
“I don’t mind getting my hands dirty because I’m passionate about eradicating landfills and helping companies and communities repurpose their waste,” he said. The growth strategy for MFT Waste Solutions is to collaborate with global companies that are reducing marine litter and pollution.
Xulu is excited about the future and is proud that his business is creating jobs and positively contributing towards reducing pollution.
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