- It said none of the 47 counties operate a licensed landfill, only dumpsites that are not well managed, posing health risks.
- The waste recovery facilities are set to promote circular and 'green' practices of waste management.
Image: WILFRED NYANGARESI
Nairobi county has set up waste recovery facilities to curb illegal dumping of garbage.
Initiated by the Nairobi Metropolitan Service, construction of two material recovery facilities in Muthurwa market and Mowlem is ongoing.
The one at Muthurwa market is at 40 per cent, while Mowlem's is at 60 per cent complete.
Plans are also underway to commence construction of another six in various subcounties.
The facilities will provide a reliable source of income through recyclable materials.
This will boost Nairobi's recycling market and in the long-run ensure its environment and mainly the river ecosystem is clean and safe.
A materials recovery facility is a key component of residential and commercial single-stream recycling programme.
It receives commingled materials and uses a combination of equipment and manual labour to separate the materials for recycling.
There were also plans to install a sanitary landfill in Ruai.
This would decongest the already filled up Dandora dumpsite, which holds about 1.8 million tonnes of solid waste against a 500,000-tonne capacity.
Nairobi generates 3,000 metric tonnes of waste daily and most goes to the Dandora dumpsite.
A 2010 survey by the Japan International Cooperation Agency reported that resource recovery in Nairobi was at five per cent. UN-Habitat said 21 per cent in 2019.
The waste recovery facilities are also key in residential and commercial single-stream recycling.
In 2020, the National Environmental Complaints Committee said lack of licensed waste management facilities is Nairobi's biggest challenge in managing solid waste.
It said none of the 47 counties operate a licensed landfill, only dumpsites that are not well managed, posing health risks.
The waste recovery facilities are set to promote circular and 'green' practices of waste management.
The circular model uses the three Rs —Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Kenya uses a wasteful linear management system. All waste is collected, put in bags and often goes straight to Dandora or is dumped illegally.
A circular economy involves handling discarded materials as commodities for reuse rather than for disposal.
It conserves them and uses recycling, composting and other technologies.
Nairobi residents are eagerly anticipating Governor Johnson Sakaja's next move after hearing him promise to build a trash recycling plant close to the Dandora dumpsite.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)