This article has been supplied.While most African waste stories focus on recycling or landfills, the hidden bottleneck on the continent is transport inefficiency. This means even the best recycling programme will fail if the waste never leaves the neighbourhood.
Sonia Pretorius, National Sales Manager for 600SA, a division of CFAO Equipment says inefficient collection networks and ageing infrastructure undermine waste management efforts.
"Recycling cannot succeed if the collection and transport system fails. If waste cannot be moved efficiently from households to facilities, even the best recycling plant becomes ineffective," she says.
Overcoming fuel and infrastructure challenges
Municipal fleets face rising diesel costs, overloaded vehicles and long trips to landfill sites. According to Pretorius, maximising load consolidation through efficient refuse compactors reduces the number of trips required, lowering fuel consumption and vehicle wear.
