Waste is an opportunity, not rubbish to be thrown away

DAR ES SALAAM: BANANA peels, leftover vegetables and unsold fruits may appear to be worthless waste to many market traders, but to the agricultural sector, these materials are valuable resources that can be processed into fertiliser to improve crop production.

At Tandale Market in Dar es Salaam, waste generated from daily trading activities has a purpose beyond filling dumping sites or polluting the environment.

When properly separated at the point of generation, organic waste can be transported to a waste-processing and composting plant in Mabwepande, Kinondoni, where it is processed into fertiliser for agricultural use.

This is the thinking behind the message, “Waste Is an Opportunity,” which promotes the idea that waste is not merely rubbish to be discarded but a resource that can support economic activities, environmental conservation and fertiliser production.

The message has gained momentum through campaigns by the Tanzania Fertiliser Regulatory Authority (TFRA), which is encouraging communities to separate biodegradable waste from nonbiodegradable materials.

The authority is also working with local government authorities to promote cleanliness and responsible waste management.

As part of activities marking World Fertiliser Day, observed annually on October 13, TFRA has extended its awareness campaigns throughout the month.

The activities include participating in a clean-up exercise at Tandale Market on October 17, 2026, while educating traders and residents on how waste can become raw material for fertiliser production.

Speaking during the exercise, TFRA Principal Quality Controller, Ms Esther Kapakala said the authority was encouraging the public to change its perception of waste by recognising its potential value.

“What we are doing is encouraging people to collect and separate waste properly so that it can be used as raw material for making fertiliser. When waste is mixed, particularly when biodegradable materials are mixed with plastics, it becomes difficult to obtain clean raw materials suitable for producing quality fertiliser,” she said.

Ms Kapakala said biodegradable materials, including banana peels, fruit waste and leftover vegetables, could be processed into fertiliser, reducing the amount of waste disposed of in dumping areas.

She said TFRA had previously conducted similar activities, but the current campaigns had expanded to reach more people, including market traders and farmers in different regions.

“We have expanded the scope of our campaigns. We are continuing to provide education in markets and other areas, including the regions, encouraging people not to throw away biodegradable waste because it is an opportunity that can be used to produce fertiliser,” she said.

She added that environmental conservation should begin at household level and continue in workplaces, markets and other public spaces.

According to her, separating waste at its source is essential to ensure that materials are collected and transported for processing without contamination from substances that may affect their quality.

At Tandale Market, the scale of this opportunity is reflected in the volume of waste generated daily through the sale of fruits, vegetables and other goods.

Tandale Market Manager, Mr Awadhi Shabani, said the market could generate approximately 10 tonnes of biodegradable waste daily, making proper separation important for environmental protection and the supply of raw materials for fertiliser production.

He said the market had established a system for separating biodegradable waste from dry waste, with each category placed in designated collection areas before being transported for further processing.

“At Tandale Market, we have a system for separating waste because we believe waste is an opportunity and a source of employment. We put biodegradable waste in its designated area and later transport it to the fertiliser production plant in Mabwepande,” he said.

According to Mr Shabani, the plant is owned by Kinondoni Municipal Council and processes collected waste into fertiliser that can be made available to the public at affordable prices.

However, he said implementation of the separation system still faced challenges because some traders and members of the public struggled to distinguish biodegradable waste from dry waste.

When different types of waste are mixed, he explained, workers have to spend additional time sorting the materials again at collection points before they can be sent for processing.

“We began providing education on waste separation last year, and the exercise is continuing. One of the challenges is that some people still cannot distinguish biodegradable waste from solid waste. When the materials are mixed, we face the additional task of sorting them again,” he said.

Mr Shabani said continued education was essential to make waste separation part of the daily routine of traders and other market users.

The journey from market waste to fertiliser demonstrates how cooperation between traders, municipal authorities and institutions responsible for fertiliser regulation can increase the value of materials that are often overlooked.

Kinondoni Municipal Council Sanitation Officer, Mr Alban Mgabuso, who represented the municipal director, said cooperation with TFRA in the clean-up exercise was part of broader efforts to improve environmental management and promote the productive use of waste generated in markets.

He said the council was implementing a system known as sorting at source, under which waste is separated where it is generated to make collection and processing easier.

“We thank TFRA for joining us in cleaning Tandale Market. This is one of the markets where we are implementing waste separation at source. We have a waste-processing and composting plant in Mabwepande, which uses collected waste as raw material to produce fertiliser for agriculture,” he said.

Mr Mgabuso said waste should be separated into three main categories, biodegradable waste, dry waste and hazardous waste and each category requires appropriate handling to ensure that it can be managed safely and effectively.

He said biodegradable waste was particularly valuable because it could be used to produce fertiliser and processed to generate larvae of the Black Soldier Fly (BSF), which can serve as feed for livestock.

According to him, fruit and vegetable leftovers that remain unsold and begin to decay account for a significant proportion of waste generated in markets.

These materials are separated and placed in designated containers or collection skips before being transported to Mabwepande for processing.

Mr Mgabuso said the wasteseparation system was also being implemented in other markets within Kinondoni Municipality, including Magomeni, Mwananyamala and Nyuki Market in Tegeta.

The initiative demonstrates that waste management can go beyond removing rubbish from trading areas. It can become part of a production chain linking commerce, environmental cleanliness, waste processing, agriculture and livestock keeping.

Despite efforts by TFRA and Kinondoni Municipal Council, the success of the system depends on the participation of residents and traders who generate waste every day.

When traders separate fruit and vegetable leftovers from plastics and other dry materials, they make the work of waste collectors easier and increase the chances of the biodegradable materials reaching processing facilities in a suitable condition.

Similarly, households that separate waste at source reduce the likelihood of reusable materials being mixed with substances that may compromise their subsequent use.

In Tanzania, where agriculture is an important economic activity, using biodegradable waste as raw material for fertiliser production offers an opportunity to connect environmental conservation with agricultural productivity.

However, achieving these benefits requires proper separation, effective collection and processing that maintains the quality of the final product.

The message is that the value of waste begins with the decisions made by the people who generate it. Instead of mixing fruit peels with plastics or throwing vegetable leftovers into the environment, every trader can contribute to turning waste into a useful resource.

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Therefore, “Waste Is an Opportunity” is not simply a call for cleanliness, it is an invitation to change how waste is perceived and managed.

Properly separated waste can become raw material for fertiliser, support the production of livestock feed and reduce environmental pollution.

The first step is simple: separate waste where it is generated. The next steps are to ensure that it is collected, transported and processed appropriately.

Through this chain, materials once regarded as rubbish can become part of the solution to environmental challenges and the need for improved agricultural production in Tanzania.