Making something new out of something old
Waste disposal is a worldwide problem that plagues both industrialized and developing countries. Mali's capitol, Bamako, recycles much of its waste by breaking it down completely and reusing the metal to build new items such as garden tools, cooking utensils and other household items. Bamako is extremely effective at this process, with an 85% reuse rate, exceeding many cities of the industrialized world (e.g. San Francisco at 68%).
Garbage is collected, usually by individuals with donkey drawn carts, in only half of the city. The refuse is sorted and organic matter is sold to farmers and metal scrap is taken to the Recycling Market, a sprawling area of small stalls, each a private enterprise that reworks metal into new, usable objects. You can recognize the Recycling market from a distance by the sounds of pounding hammers – a music all of its own.
Bamako, Mali
Making something new out of something old
Waste disposal is a worldwide problem that plagues both industrialized and developing countries. Mali's capitol, Bamako, recycles much of its waste by breaking it down completely and reusing the metal to build new items such as garden tools, cooking utensils and other household items. Bamako is extremely effective at this process, with an 85% reuse rate, exceeding many cities of the industrialized world (e.g. San Francisco at 68%).
Garbage is collected, usually by individuals with donkey drawn carts, in only half of the city. The refuse is sorted and organic matter is sold to farmers and metal scrap is taken to the Recycling Market, a sprawling area of small stalls, each a private enterprise that reworks metal into new, usable objects. You can recognize the Recycling market from a distance by the sounds of pounding hammers – a music all of its own.
Bamako, Mali