•NEMA director general Mamo Mamo said the dumpsite has failed to put in place the 10 minimum points issued by the authority for any disposal site.
•He said most of the dumping is done for domestic waste, industrial and hazardous materials and medical waste.
Image: YUSSUF NASSIR
The National Environment Management Authority has put Mombasa county on notice for poor waste management practices.
The authority has since written to the county secretary threatening to take action if the challenges facing the Mwakirunge dumpsite in Kisauni sub county, are not addressed.
The dumpsite has been posing danger to birds scavenging at the dumpsite and planes landing at the Moi International Airport.
NEMA director general Mamo Mamo has since issued a restoration order.
Mamo said the dumpsite has failed to put in place the 10 minimum points issued by the authority for any disposal site.
“They include fencing, security at the gate, weighing of the incoming waste, motorable roads to and within the dumpsite, personal protective equipment for the staff, controlled entry and tipping of waste among others,” Mamo said.
He said the dumpsite has not been demarcated and has no beacons showing its boundaries.
Mamo also raised concerns about how waste was being handled within the dumpsite.
“There were many scavenging families living around and within the site,” he said.
“Families lit fires in the dumpsite to enable them to recover scrap metal which causes pollution to the neighbouring community and environment at large.”
He said there were heaps of recyclables recovered at the dumpsite ready for market with a few buyers on the site.
“Majority of the vehicles dumping at the site belong to the county government with a few vehicles coming from the private companies,” Mamo said.
He said most of the dumping is done for domestic waste, industrial and hazardous materials and medical waste.
Mamo said the wind was scattering waste outside the designated area into the adjacent private land as some waste was being dumped on the way before the trucks could reach the dumpsite.
The DG said the move is against the Environment Management and Co-ordination Act, No 8 of 1999.
Section 3 (1) of the Act states that every person in Kenya is entitled to a clean and healthy environment and has a duty to safeguard and enhance the environment.
Mamo said when an offence is committed against the Act by a body corporate, the body corporate and every director or officer of the body corporate who had prior knowledge of the commission of the offence and did not exercise due diligence, efficiency and economy to ensure compliance is guilty of an offence.
“You are therefore directed to undertake a survey of the dumpsite and designate the area as waste management site.”
Mamo said the minimum points issued by the authority must be implemented.
He said families scavenging at the dumpsite must be regulated and fires managed.
The DG also ordered the county to undertake risk analysis in conjunction with Kenya Civil Aviation Authority concerning the flight path.
Mamo said waste encroaching on private land must be controlled by the use of a wall and the county should ensure that it is not dumped in non-designated areas.
Other demands include the provision of staff with adequate protective equipment and the development of a compliance plan that will be shared with the authority for approval.
Mamo warned against non-compliance with the orders saying it is an offence punishable upon conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year but not more than four years or a fine of not less than Sh2 million and not more than Sh4 million or to both.
He said the county has a right to appeal the order with the National Environment Tribunal if aggrieved.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris