28/09/2025
Selling Your Waste
In the bustling city of Douala, waste from supermarkets had always been a problem. Plastic packaging, bottles, and wrappers piled up behind stores, often burned or dumped in gutters, causing floods and foul smells. Storekeepers and supermarket workers considered it just part of the job — something to throw away at the end of each day.
Everything changed when Afrilex Company introduced a bold idea. They announced that anyone could earn 250 FCFA for every kilogram of plastic waste they brought in. Suddenly, what was once considered garbage turned into cash.
At first, the storekeepers laughed. “Who will waste time collecting trash?” one cashier asked. But when the first payment was made, attitudes shifted. A small supermarket manager in Bonamousadi realized that his shop produced 20 to 30 kilograms of plastic waste every month. That meant an extra 5,000 to 7,500 FCFA just from sorting trash instead of tossing it away.
Soon, every worker joined in. Cashiers carefully separated bottles from paper. Cleaners made sure no plastic was mixed with food waste. Even customers noticed the change, dropping their empty plastic bags into special bins instead of the street.
Within a few months, supermarkets across Yaoundé, Limbe, and Buea were doing the same. What had once been a nuisance became a source of extra income and pride.
For the first time, waste wasn’t just waste. It was a commodity — proof that with the right incentive, even garbage could be sold.
And just like that, Cameroon’s supermarkets began selling their waste.
