A 2022 World Bank report, "Morocco's Blue Skies, Green Jobs," highlights the significant economic value currently buried in the country's landfills. The study estimates that the waste sector could generate up to 36,000 jobs and that the materials discarded annually hold substantial recoverable value.
The report specifically notes that Morocco discards approximately 3.4 million tons of recyclable materials each year. This includes valuable commodities like plastic, paper, and metals, which represent a lost economic opportunity estimated in the billions of dirhams.
This situation underscores the challenges within Morocco's current waste management system, which relies heavily on landfilling. The government's National Household Waste Management Program (PNDM) aims to increase the national recycling rate to 20% by 2026, a target that requires significant investment and systemic change to unlock this buried capital.
Experts argue that improving formal recycling and recovery systems is essential not only for environmental reasons but also for creating a circular economy. Capturing this value could reduce import needs for raw materials and foster new green industries, turning a waste problem into an economic resource.
