Why Dandora waste-to-energy plant could take longer to set up

The much-anticipated Dandora waste-to-energy recycling plant could take longer to be set up.

The county government is still scouting for technology specifically designed for the circular model of waste management proposed by authorities. 

Environment county executive Veska Kangogo told the Star that consultations were ongoing with the national government and the Public-Private Partnership Unit on the best way to get an investor to do the project.

“We are now reviewing the technology that we got from the investors to check its reliability,” she said.

In July last year, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko said the county will spend Sh28 billion for the energy recycling plant.

Sonko said the county was in the final stages of awarding a contract for the construction of the Dandora plant. But the project is yet to kick off. 

“My administration is in the final stages of awarding a contract for the construction of this plant that will solve a lot of our waste disposal challenges,”  Sonko said.

The recycling plant is expected to eliminate the need to relocate the dumpsite, as City Hall will use waste to generate clean, renewable energy.

The plant is expected to produce 160MW per day.

Speaking during the launch of the Nairobi monthly clean-up exercise, Sonko said other countries like Sweden, Norway, Morocco and Ethiopia have done it.

Kangogo said Nairobi plans to reduce waste landing in Dandora by educating residents on reducing, reusing and recycling garbage.

She said a recent study had revealed that 40 per cent of the waste landing in Dandora is organic.

Kangogo said the waste can be used to produce organic manure.

“If we use the circular model of waste management, in the long run, we will have 5 to 10 per cent of waste landing in Dandora,” she said.

Kangogo put on notice the private garbage collectors who are engaged by institutions and private entities to collect their wastes.

She said they are notorious for illegally dumping waste. 

“We are now doing an audit to see how many licensed private contractors exist in Nairobi. We also want to know where they collect the garbage from and whether they dump the waste in Dandora,” she said.

Every month,  20 to 30 private garbage collectors are apprehended for illegal dumping.

After an apprehension, their licenses are immediately revoked before being charged.

In May, the national government subjected the National Sustainable Waste Management Bill, 2018, to the public hearing.

The bill if passed aims at cutting down waste by 95 per cent. 

 Those found polluting could be fined up to Sh4 million or spend a maximum of four years in jail if the waste management policy is adopted. 

During the stakeholder participation at KICC, Environment CS Keriako Tobiko said the waste management policy, bill and strategy are guided by the circular economy.

“This is a principle which is a radical departure from the current practice where nobody wants to touch waste once generated but is transferred to dumpsites," Tobiko said in a speech read on his behalf by Environment PS Ibrahim Mohammed. 

Under the new policy, waste will be segregated at source before service providers move them to materials recovery facilities.

At the recovery facilities, sorting, selling and treatment is done.

Five per cent of the waste will be incinerated, 30 per cent recycled, while 60 per cent will be turned into manure. Only five per cent will go to landfills. 

The move will create jobs along the waste management chain. 

Currently, waste generated goes directly to the dumpsite, a move that has created massive dumpsite across the country. 

   “We have plans to reduce the 200 trucks going to Dandora dumpsite to 10,”  Ayub Macharia, the director for environmental education and awareness at the Environment Ministry said. 

Macharia said counties will be assisted to develop infrastructure.

“Waste management regulations will be reviewed to align them to this policy,” Macharia said.

To further cut the waste generated, Macharia said, the national government will develop regulations on the use of eco-friendly raw materials and cleaner production technologies.

Regulations and standards for central collection systems, storage and reuse will also be developed.

Macharia said all laws, regulations will be reviewed for waste to be reclassified as unsegregated and recyclable.

(edited by O. Owino)