Competition : WasteAid launches 10,000 Euro Zero Waste Project
WasteAid searches for innovative business ideas that help reduce or recycle waste and create green employment opportunities: The competition "Zero Waste Cities Challenge" is part of WasteAid’s Circular Economy Network and will focus on finding innovative business ideas that promote the circular economy in Johannesburg, South Africa, Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and Guwahati in India.
The three cities have been identified by WasteAid as areas where the majority of waste currently ends up at landfill or littered in the natural environment. In each city, two winners will be awarded up to 10,000 Euro and provided with business mentoring support to help turn their idea into reality.
Michelle Wilson, WasteAid Circular Economy Network Director, said: “We are really excited to launch this competition in the three hubs. There are already some fantastic examples of the circular economy in each of the cities. We hope that through the Circular Economy Network activities, and in particular the Zero Waste Cities Challenge, we can help entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality.”
Tram Nguyen, WasteAid Project Manager in Vietnam, added: “Building a circular economy takes many different people and businesses. The level of interest in our activities has been very high and we look forward to running more events, as well as this competition to identify and support innovative ideas for the city.”
The project is being funded by sustainable food packaging company Huhtamaki, as part of its two-year partnership with WasteAid.
Thomasine Kamerling, EVP Sustainability and Communications at Huhtamaki, added: “Huhtamaki is proud to support this initiative which will help fast track local solutions to the circular economy. This initiative complements our own efforts to design for circularity and embed sustainability in everything that we do, both in our local communities and across our global enterprise.”
Applications for the Zero Waste Cities Challenge are open until June, with the winners expected to be announced in October 2021.