Luanda - The minister of the Environment, Ana Paula de Carvalho, announced Friday, in Luanda Province, that 20,000 jobs have been created in solid waste management across the country.
Speaking at the conference on the circular economy and the launch of expo – recicla (recycling fair), the minister said that this benefit was the result of the existence of 459 companies licensed to carry out this activity.
She spoke of the various waste recycling industries and waste collectors' associations and cooperatives that together collect 19,000 tonnes of waste across the country, adding that the share of reused waste is between 7 and 10%.
The minister believes that this figure could rise significantly in the near future, with the implementation and continued publicising of the projects underway in the sector.
Ana Paula de Carvalho explained that throughout the world, the waste management sector employs a large part of the labour force.
For this reason, she revealed that the Angolan government wants to promote employability in this field with the aim to preserve resources.
The government official emphasised that there are various initiatives in the country, the results of which indicate that Angola is on the right track.
“These and other measures will not only mitigate the environmental impacts caused by the production process and greenhouse gas emissions, but also ensure that future generations benefit from the natural resources that the land offers for their subsistence”, she reinforced.
Regarding landfill sites, the minister emphasised that Angola only has seven, which has made solid waste management difficult.
These are in the provinces of Huambo, Cunene, Luanda, Huíla, Benguela and Namibe, the latter of which has two landfills.
LIN/OHA/MRA/jmc
