Refuse

What Refuse does

ReFuse S.A.R.L. is a Lebanese private social enterprise founded in late 2021 (formally established March 2022) and headquartered in Bourj Hammoud, Lebanon, dedicated to Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM). The company operates strategically placed recyclables collection points — initially an abandoned-bakery pilot on Beirut's outskirts, then a larger sorting center in Bourj Hammoud (2022), then a Hamra facility (2023) — designed for dense, underserved neighborhoods. Its proprietary operating software registers every drop-off, assigns rewards based on average market prices, and manages personal e-wallets, handling 500+ daily transactions across 24+ recyclables streams; hydraulic balers compact sorted materials to reduce volume by up to 95%.

ReFuse serves four primary customer segments: underserved urban communities (community users earning recycling rewards), private enterprises (B2B ESG compliance services anchored by Alshaya Corporation), government and municipal authorities (ISWM consulting and policy support), and NGOs/civil society (technical training and capacity building). Revenue is generated through four streams — B2B environmental services, sale of processed recyclables to the recycling industry, ISWM consulting, and grants/development funding from USAID, EU, GIZ, ENI CBC MED, and others. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; community transactions operate on pay-as-you-go reward economics, while consulting and B2B engagements are multi-year contracts.

In 2024 ReFuse began international expansion via the SUNNY Project in Uganda and Rwanda (an 18-partner, 11-country consortium led by Technical University of Berlin), bringing waste characterization, market analysis, and valorization work to refugee camps and host communities. The company was originally named 'Refugees For Reuse' before rebranding. It is independently owned by its four co-founders, with Guglielmo Mazzà serving as CEO, and has been recognized by MIT Design Lab (2021 third place), Social Impact Award (2023), Asia Youth Leaders, and European Young Innovator.

Name

Refuse

Legal name

ReFuse S.A.R.L.

Website

https://refuse.eco

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ReFuse is a Lebanese social enterprise providing Integrated Solid Waste Management services — reward-based community collection points, B2B ESG environmental services, and ISWM consulting — for underserved urban communities, enterprises, governments, and NGOs in Lebanon and East Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Beirut

HQ country

Lebanon

HQ region

Middle East

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. B2B Environmental Services: Environmental services for businesses including waste handling, waste reduction strategies, and sustainable practices consultancy. Revenue from ESG compliance support services.
2. Waste Sorting and Processing Services: Collection point operations where users drop off recyclables and receive monetary rewards. Revenue generated from selling processed recyclables to recycling industry.
3. Consulting and Technical Advisory: ISWM consulting services to government ministries, municipal authorities, development organizations, and private companies. Services include training, infrastructure design, policy development, and feasibility studies.
4. Grants and Development Funding: Funding from international donors and development organizations (USAID, EU, GIZ, etc.) for specific projects and organizational development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ReFuse designs, operates, and scales Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) services through neighborhood recyclables collection points with reward-based sorting, B2B environmental services for enterprises, and technical advisory/consulting for government ministries, municipalities, NGOs, and development organizations. The company combines physical sorting infrastructure in shipping containers, hydraulic balers, and a proprietary web application to process 24+ recyclables streams and enable 500+ daily transactions.

Product overview

ReFuse is a Lebanese social enterprise dedicated to Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) offering a portfolio of interconnected services. The core offering consists of Neighbourhood Sorting Solutions with strategically placed Recyclables Collection Points (handling 24+ material categories) that use ReFuse's proprietary operating software to enable reward-based sorting. The service portfolio extends to Awareness and Education programs, Environmental Services for Businesses (B2B), Community Engagement initiatives, Policy Development and Advocacy, Research, and Training and Capacity Building. ReFuse also operates ECOHUB in Hamra as a community space for environmental action. The company targets underserved communities in Lebanon and expanding internationally through projects like SUNNY in Uganda and Rwanda.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Neighbourhood Sorting Solutions Designs and implements recycling solutions for communities, enabling residents to sort recyclables and receive monetary rewards through strategically placed collection points in dense, underserved neighbourhoods.
• Recyclables Collection Points (Sorting Facilities) Sorting facilities built in shipping containers capable of handling 24+ categories of secondary raw materials in dense, underserved neighbourhoods. Includes reward-based, software-enabled sorting at source and hydraulic balers that compact sorted materials reducing volume by up to 95%.
• B2B Environmental Services Business-to-business services for enterprises pursuing ESG goals, including waste handling, dismantling, sorting into 30 categories, valorization, and safe disposal of items not fit for sale. ReFuse handled over 1 million items and 25+ tons of expired/outdated materials for Alshaya Corporation, reducing dumped volume by 80%.
• Environmental Services for Businesses

Quantifiable outcome

• Handles 24+ recyclables streams
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Technical University of BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Lead of SUNNY project (17 partners across 11 countries). ReFuse contributes waste characterization, market analysis, waste valorization value chains, and eco-design parameters for energy technologies in Uganda and Rwanda.
• Semeurs D'avenir - IECDminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Awareness raising for youth in Keserwan schools on integrated solid waste management, organizing recycling workshops and sorting demonstrations.
• Management System International (MSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided Scaling Up Framework for developing ReFuse's scaling vision and strategy. Supported financial planning, stakeholder mapping, and long-term strategic planning.
• CTENminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in SUNNY project working with ReFuse to analyze local waste patterns and create efficient biowaste management system linked to biogas facility.
• MIT Design LabmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinner of MIT DesignX Cohort 5 3rd Place. Continued partnership for design thinking and innovation in waste management.
• BerytechminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLebanese innovation hub supporting startups and entrepreneurs in the MENA region.
• ESA Business SchoolminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLebanese business school providing educational and advisory support.
• AL MajmouaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLebanese association supporting MSMEs and entrepreneurship.
• SDSNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainable Development Solutions Network supporting sustainability initiatives.
• EcoSwitchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting green and sustainable solutions.
• WeWorld - GVC NGOminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReFuse trained staff through technical masterclass on climate crisis, social issues, and solid waste management interconnection.
• Ahla FawdaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCo-founded ECOHUB - The Hub for Collaborative Environmental Action in Hamra. ReFuse provided training on waste valorization, behavior change, and governance.
• CELIM NGOminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnical design of Circular Economy for Local Development project, local data collection, and financially viable model for resources valorization.
• Ahlam LajeaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnical training on integrated solid waste management, safety in waste handling, and composting for Palestinian NGO staff.
• AgonistaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise for reuse of unused carts from Food and Beverage sector, hiring people with special needs.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EcoPost: Kenyan social enterprise recycling post-consumer plastic waste into fencing and outdoor products. Comparable African-market social enterprise leveraging plastics recovery for both impact and commercial revenue.
• Hasiru Dala: Indian social enterprise focused on waste-pickers' rights, integration, and decentralized waste management. Comparable social-impact narrative around the informal recycling sector and community-level behavior change.
• Saahas Zero Waste: Indian social enterprise providing waste management services with deep integration of the informal waste-picker sector. Comparable focus on formalizing informal recycling and operating decentralized collection/sorting infrastructure.
• Wecyclers: Nigeria-based social enterprise operating reward-based household recyclables collection in dense, low-income neighborhoods. Closest direct peer — same community-led, incentive-driven model targeting underserved urban areas.
• Plastic Bank: Global social enterprise that collects and recycles plastic in underserved coastal communities while paying collectors above-market rates. Highly comparable mission, reward mechanic, and recyclables-trading revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia: Global environmental services group with significant waste management presence in MENA. Competes for large municipal and industrial waste contracts and sets pricing benchmarks ReFuse must navigate.
• Suez: French multinational with established waste management operations across MENA. Operates at vastly larger scale and competes for municipal and commercial waste contracts in Lebanon and the wider region.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): Global environmental and sustainability consultancy serving enterprises on ESG, waste, and circular economy strategy. Comparable on the B2B ESG advisory side of ReFuse's offering.
• EcoAct: International consultancy (now part of NTT Data) helping companies design and implement carbon and ESG strategies. Adjacent peer on the enterprise ESG/sustainability advisory services ReFuse sells.

Emerging players

• Recykal: India-based digital platform connecting waste generators, recyclers, and brands with material traceability and EPR compliance tools. Comparable on the software-enabled recyclables-marketplace and ESG-reporting angle.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/refuselebanon
• Facebookfacebook.com/ReFuseLebanon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Refuse