An environmentalist says Malawi is underutilizing wastes instead of recycling them into usable products.

Herbert Mwalukomo told YFM online that this is an area which Malawi is not fully exploiting but is profitable not only to the environment but also the country’s economy.

“Almost all the waste that is generated except very few things cannot be recycled, so the initiatives that we are beginning to see are the right way to go,” he said.

“Things like turning plastics into carrier bags, we have also seen some companies that are turning plastics into bricks which are used for various purposes.”

Mwalukomo also appealed for governments and other stakeholders support in order to grow the recycling industry.

“One of the challenges that we have in this country is that the recycling industry is not there and it does not have the support yet we continue to struggle with how to manage wastes,” he said.