For Release, Oct. 30 2014, 9pm CET
Leading Sustainability Solution 2014:
Pedal-powered Recycling in Nigeria
COPENHAGEN: Nigerian initiative, Wecyclers wins the 2014 Sustainia Award, chaired by Arnold
Schwarzenegger, for a solution that enables low-income communities to make money from
waste piling up in their streets. By deploying a fleet of cargo bicycles to collect and recycle
unmanaged waste in the Nigerian city Lagos, Wecyclers lets families exchange garbage for
consumer goods via an SMS-based point system.
The Sustainia Award Ceremony showcases leading sustainability solutions in Copenhagen, where
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is currently gathered to present its new
report on risks related to climate change.
“The threats from climate change are real and they are here. But so are the solutions. I am very
inspired by this year’s Sustainia Award winner, Wecyclers. They show us that communities can create
local solutions to waste and recycling issues, which are not only more sustainable but also improve
public health and create new jobs and businesses. By coming together and acting in new ways, we
can create positive and sustainable change in our communities and inspire cities around the world to
do the same,” says Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Governor of California and chair of Sustainia
Award.
Wecyclers is a response to local waste issues in Lagos, where only 40 per cent of the city’s garbage is
collected. The World Bank estimates that only 10 per cent of waste in Africa is collected. More than
5,000 households have signed up so far and there are plans to extend the initiative to other cities
throughout Nigeria. Recycling companies purchase Wecyclers’ sorted waste for reprocessing for
products as mattresses, pillows, trash bags etc.
“We are so overwhelmed to win the Sustainia Award. I have always thought of our initiative as lowtech but high-impact. We focused on building a technology that would solve the unique problems of
the communities we operate in. Many other cities can help their communities in similar ways and
provide healthier and cleaner surroundings for their citizens. This award gives us a great opportunity
to share our work,” says Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, CEO of Wecyclers.
“Solutions to combat climate change are not only high-tech innovations focused on cutting emissions,
creating infrastructure or efficiency. To successfully solve the variety of challenges, we need variety in
our solutions as well. Wecyclers is a leading example of a solution that empowers its community to
lead healthier, wealthier and more sustainable lives. It offers very clear incentives for all players to
get on board and that is exactly what can help this solution succeed,” says Laura Storm, Director of
Sustainia.
Solutions to the World’s Climate Threats
Together with nine other leading innovations from seven countries, the Nigerian company unfolded
their solution on stage at the annual Sustainia Award Ceremony, an event celebrating state-of-the-art
innovations across 10 sectors such as food, fashion, transportation and buildings. The yearly
Copenhagen ceremony showcases readily available solutions, particularly relevant this year as the
global spotlight is shining on the Danish capital. More than 1000 climate scientists, business leaders
and experts are currently gathered in the city awaiting the concluding report from a seven-year study
of the impacts of climate change.
“Sustainia Award Ceremony highlights solutions to many of the grave challenges we are facing these
years. Sustainability is not solely a matter of bringing down emissions. It is also a question of using
Sustainia | Valkendorfsgade 13, P.O. Box 1127, 1009 Copenhagen K, Denmark | +45 339 393 23 | www.sustainia.me
For Release, Oct. 30 2014, 9pm CET
our natural resources more intelligently and creating healthier lives for ourselves. The showcased
solutions provide us with tangible sustainability alternatives for our cities, homes, wardrobe,
transportation and much more.” Connie Hedegaard, EU Commissioner for Climate Action and
member of Sustainia Award Committee.
The anticipated report from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will be presented
November 2nd in Copenhagen, and will highlight recommendations for policymaking. All Sustainia
Award solutions are available online at Sustainia.me.
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PRESS PHTOS
Ceremony and winner photos are available on flickr.com/sustainia, Oct. 30th approx. 11pm CET.
SUSTAINIA AWARD SOLUTIONS
All projects nominated for Sustainia Award 2014 are published online at:
http://issuu.com/sustainia/docs/sustainia_top10_2014?e=4517615/9429162
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR INTERVIEWS, PLEASE CONTACT:
Communications Manager Marie Louise Gørvild, mlg@mm.dk, cell + 45 6170 9104
WHAT IS SUSTAINIA?
Based in Copenhagen, Sustainia is a sustainability think tank working to scale the deployment of
innovative solutions and provide industries and organizations with a shortcut to sustainable
transformation. Based on tangible know-how, innovation and technologies, Sustainia showcases the
sustainable future we could achieve if existing solutions were implemented on a large scale. Sustainia
is founded by Scandinavian think tank Monday Morning and developed in close collaboration with;
Realdania, DNV GL, Novo Nordisk, Storebrand, UN Global Compact, WWF, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s
initiative Regions20 and International Federation for Housing and Planning.
Sustainia | Valkendorfsgade 13, P.O. Box 1127, 1009 Copenhagen K, Denmark | +45 339 393 23 | www.sustainia.me