South Cycle (operating as Zero Waste) recycles glass waste into terrazzo tiles, marbles and counter tops — turning a persistent environmental hazard into cost-effective building materials. Tagline: Tile to save the world. A GIIH Cohort 3 venture from RP-IPRC Kitabi.
- Cohort: GIIH Cohort 3
- Status: Working company · product traction
- Product: Terrazzo tiles, marbles, counter tops from recycled glass
- Pricing: 9,800 RWF/m² · 50 m²/day capacity
- Sector: Waste management & circular economy
Project brief
The project turns glass wastes into raw materials for terrazzo tiles and marbles. South Cycle is now a working company under the name Zero Waste, incubated at the Grid Innovation and Incubation Hub (GIIH) with ACE-ESD support.
- Company: South Cycle
- Project: Glass recycling
- Product: Terrazzo tiles
The problem
Why glass waste is a problem:
- Takes millions of years to decompose
- Millions of tonnes produced daily across industries
- Single-use packaging — broken glass cannot be repaired and threatens people, especially children
Effects:
- Increased solid waste on the ground
- 78% of used glass exposed to the environment (landfill occupation)
- Harmful to crops and agriculture
The solution
- Turn glass waste into raw materials — crushed glass (curret) for terrazzo tiles, counter tops and marbles that improve living standards and generate profit
- Safe collection & Gusyaga Ibirahure plan — collect glass in containers and employ youth to gather glass waste, creating jobs
Technical feasibility
- Raw material: Glass wastes (major input)
- Machinery: Two machines — glass breaker and mixer
- Process: Mix curret (crushed glass) in sizes 00, 0, 1, 2, 3 to produce terrazzo, tiles and counter tops
- Uniqueness: Best appearance · cost effectiveness · large product variety
Products & traction
Finished products include terrazzo tiles, counter tops, dining tables, sinks and large-format slabs — demonstrated at Rwanda Polytechnic symposium and other events.
Competitive advantage
| Feature | Others | South Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Recycled | No | Yes |
| Refreshed appearance | No | Yes |
| Full pavement | No | Yes |
| Multi-function | No | Yes |
Target customers
- Construction companies — tiles and terrazzo for building projects
- Carpenters — counter tops for kitchens and dining tables
- Self-constructors — interior design applications
- Local community — cost-effective products with best appearance
Business direction
| Present day | After 2 years | |
|---|---|---|
| Workforce | Few workers | 50 monthly + 20 daily workers |
| Production | Low production | High, quality production |
| Trade | Import marble, chips, counter tops | Export marble, chips, counter tops |
Financial feasibility
Per square metre:
- Materials: glass 6 kg (1,200 RWF) + cement 2 kg (1,400 RWF) + power finisher 0.5 kg (3,000 RWF) = 5,600 RWF
- Operating: labour 100 · machinery 1,000 · transport 500 · electricity 700 · overhead 500 = 8,700 RWF total
- Selling price: 9,800 RWF/m²
At 50 m²/day: daily income 490,000 RWF · monthly income 14,700,000 RWF · net profit 1,353,000 RWF/month (after VAT)
Funding status
HEC STEM Competition (May 2023): 3rd place — 3,000,000 RWF for Terraso Tiles project (RP-IPRC Kitabi). Featured in IGIHE.
Team
- NISHIMWE Gad — CEO & Founder
- MWARIWANGENZI Diane — Team member
- MUTAMBUKA Danny Nikita — Team member
- Advisor & Mentor — Emmanuel Tuyisenge (Temaco Builders)
