NMS sets up waste recycling facility along Kangundo Road

The Nairobi Metropolitan Services is planning to establish waste recycling facilities in all the 17 subcounties to manage garbage in the city.

NMS has already set up one facility along Kangundo road in Embakasi West subcounty.

The recycling centres, also known as material recovery facilities, are specialised plants that receive, separate and prepare recyclable materials for marketing to end-user manufacturers.

The MRFs will be placed at strategic locations like markets and parks.

NMS Environment chief officer Lazarus Kivai said on Monday the MRFs are part of Nairobi’s long-term waste management strategy to reduce the amount of non-reusable waste that ends up at the Dandora dumpsite.

“This project at Kangundo road is going to reduce the amount of waste that goes to the dumpsites. It's intended to reduce waste at source,” he said.

The Kangundo road facility will also be a source of employment for many youths.

“We already have some environmental groups that have been listed in the subcounty who will work at the facilities,” Kivai said.

Nairobi generates 3,000 metric tonnes of waste a day and most is disposed of at Dandora dumpsite, making it unsustainable.

Dandora dumpsite was opened in 1975 with World Bank funds and 26 years later in 2001 it was considered full.

Kenya at the moment uses a linear integrated waste management system, where all the waste is collected and put in bags by garbage contractors.

However, NMS is advocating for a circular economy which involves handling discarded materials as commodities for reuse rather than for disposal for a cleaner and healthier city.

In August 2020, the NMS signed an MoU with Kengen to develop a 45 MW garbage-powered electricity plant.

 This opened a new income stream for City Hall and an opportunity for Kengen to diversify its electricity generation sources.  

As per the MoU Kengen will develop and operate the plant, while NMS will provide land and solid waste.

(Edited by Tabnacha O)