Recycling Plastic Waste for Environment

63 students become plastic waste recyclers for sustainable environmental protection

By Badylon Kawanda Bakiman

At the University of Kikwit (UNIKIK) in Kwilu Province, in the southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 63 students are learning the trade of plastic waste recycling in order to contribute to sustainable environmental management and protection and combat climate change. Of the 63 students, 53 percent are girls.

These recyclers have undergone five days of training combining theoretical and practical knowledge, focusing on the theme of “Plastic Waste Recovery.”

Several kilograms of plastic waste have already been recycled into sustainable paving stones, bricks, and brooms. Organized by UNIKIK in collaboration with Recyplast Eco sarl, a company specializing in recycling plastic waste into sustainable materials, the training took place from January 29 to February 2, 2026.

That is why the ceremony for the official presentation of certificates to the new recyclers took place on February 5 at UNIKIK.
“Our society is polluted by plastic waste, which has harmful effects. These harmful effects are first felt on the land, affecting the production of all edible crops. When plastic waste seeps into the soil, it prevents plant roots from absorbing raw sap. It should be noted that this plastic waste can end up on our plates in another form, thus disrupting human health. When rainwater runs off, this plastic waste is carried into rivers. Over time, this waste degrades into particles that can end up in the fish we eat, causing disease. That is why it was important to organize this training," explained Professor Jules Kitadi, dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at UNIKIK, in justifying this activity.

For his part, engineer Arsène Bakandowa, a trainer, did not mince his words when expressing his vision: "This training course conveys an important message: 'Waste management must become a profession in its own right, recognized, structured, and valued like any other profession. Making waste management an organized professional activity is key to the development of our African cities, the creation of decent jobs, the sustainable protection of our environment, and the prevention of what is known as ‘global warming.’"

He also stated that bricks and paving stones made from recycled waste have a lifespan of over 100 years.

In his speech, UNIKIK Rector Alphonse Kapumba emphasized the importance of this activity: "I myself wrote part of my doctoral thesis on environmental ethics because Africa is experiencing a bottleneck in the electricity we use. UNIKIK should not only be a university for study, but also a university-enterprise," he said, inviting the new recyclers to be very active in the field.
He also announced that UNIKIK has been invited to a major international conference of universities from around the world, which will take place this year in Poland.