• National Sustainable Waste Management Bill, 2018, is however awaiting approval by the National Assembly.
• PS says once bill is in place, organic waste will be used to generate manure while others will be recycled.
Waste generated as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak is becoming a headache to the government.
Some of the wastes include paper towels, testing kits, face masks and gloves among others.
Masks are slowly being dumped into the environment after use.
The government is currently grappling with how to handle solid waste that has been an eye sore.
However, the National Sustainable Waste Management Bill, 2018 is awaiting approval by the National Assembly.
Environment PS Chris Kiptoo on June 2 said the policy will be a game-changer in the way solid waste is handled.
“The policy is looking at the circular model as opposed to the linear one where we get all the waste to our dumpsites,” Kiptoo said.
Kiptoo said once the bill is in place, organic waste will be used to generate manure while others will be recycled.
According to the bill, those found polluting the environment will be fined as much as Sh4 million or serve four years in jail.
In the circular model, waste will be segregated at the source before service providers move it to material recovery facilities where sorting, selling and treatment are done.
Five per cent of the waste will be incinerated, 30 per cent recycled and 60 per cent turned into manure. Only five per cent will go to landfills.
Due to the lack of requisite regulations, waste is currently taken to dumpsites.
Poor waste management practices are, however, common in the country, with open burning of wastes, hence polluting the air.
The United Nations Environment Programme has urged countries to ensure they manage medical waste generated during the Covid-19 well to minimise secondary impacts on health and the environment.
UNEP said during such an outbreak, hazardous waste is generated, including infected masks, gloves and other protective equipment.
On April 23, the Environment ministry gave out equipment worth Sh12 million to handle medical waste generated during the pandemic.
Thirteen health facilities benefited from the equipment including those in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru and Kisumu counties.
The equipment comprised colour-coded bins, bin liners, weighing scales, safety boxes, aprons, overalls, gloves and gumboots, eye-protective gear, helmets and surgical masks.
More than 200 healthcare workers were trained on the best technologies and practices of biomedical waste disposal to ensure safety in line with the World Health Organization guidelines.
Kiptoo said medical institutions and facilities must take the lead in waste management.
Edited by R.Wamochie