On Monday, April 15, in Yaoundé, the Minister of Environment, Nature Protection, and Sustainable Development (Minepded), Hélé Pierre, chaired a meeting to initiate the National Waste Exchange. According to the state-run media Cameroon Tribune, the meeting aimed to discuss the ownership structure of the Exchange, present the draft statutes, review, and develop a timeline for establishing this platform, first announced in 2016. The company will be formed by the state and private companies that produce non-biodegradable packaging or operate in the green economy.

The government views the Waste Exchange as a solution for managing waste effectively, turning one person's waste into another's raw material. "Our waste is increasingly being recognized as the resource of tomorrow, providing new raw materials or even energy, under environmentally and health-friendly conditions," a government official was quoted by the public media. Waste recycling or recovery has emerged as a booming sector, creating both formal and informal employment opportunities.

The project to create this National Waste Exchange has been in the pipeline for eight years, one of the resolutions from the first National Waste Conference held in April 2016 in Yaoundé. The conference attendees recommended the establishment of a platform to match waste supply with demand, potentially creating commercial value post-recycling. The Ministry of Environment explains that this exchange aims to be an online waste trading platform in Cameroon, dedicated to promoting the recovery of reusable waste resources. It should enable waste producers to connect with interested reclaimers.

Cameroon generates 6 million tons of solid waste annually, including 600,000 tons of plastic waste, much of which unfortunately ends up in nature, according to the Ministry of Environment. Despite the growing number of recycling companies—which are creating job opportunities—only 20% of this waste is currently processed. The government is particularly hopeful that the Exchange will enhance the rate of solid waste collection in urban areas.

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