THE Kakamega government has installed Sh3 million litter bins in three towns.
They are Kakamega, Mumias and Malava.
Environment executive Robert Sumbi yesterday said the bins have three chambers each.
The chambers separate plastics, paper and food remains.
Speaking in his office, Sumbi said the programme will be rolled out in all urban centres in the county this year.
“We are currently educating residents in estates on the need to make collection of solid waste easy for the county government to keep the environment clean and safe,” he said.
Sumbi said the residents are encouraged to use plastic bags as receptacles for refuse in their homes.
He said his department is managing the current dumpsite at Rosterman before relocating to a new site at Mung’ang’a, Mumias East subcounty.
Sumbi said some companies contracted to collect refuse have been dumping waste at the entrance of the dumpsite due to the poor state of the road.
He said some of the garbage has spread to homes around the dumpsite triggering protests by the residents.
“We have since moved the refuse inside the dumpsite and repaired the road to ensure dumping is done at the right site,” Sumbi said.
He said the county government is in the final stages of acquiring 18 acres at Mung’ang’a to establish the new dumping site and a refuse-energy conversion plant.
Sumbi said his department will also initiate a programme to protect river banks and wetlands as well as tree planting to increase forest cover in the county.
