Nakuru: The County Government of Nakuru is set to establish a modern Material Recovery Center (MRC) at the Giotto Dumpsite to segregate waste into biodegradable, solid, plastics, and E-waste for proper disposal. Governor Susan Kihika announced that the facility will enable the 700 tons of waste produced daily within the devolved unit to be sorted, recovered, and recycled before disposal, significantly reducing the amount of waste ending up in the dumpsite.
According to Kenya News Agency, the governor explained that the biodegradable waste will be recycled to produce organic fertilizer. The MRC will support a circular economy by recovering valuable materials, creating green jobs, improving the livelihoods of waste pickers through safer and more organized operations, and reducing environmental pollution. ‘Once this facility is completed, it will be instrumental in turning waste into treasure and create a safe working environment for waste pickers,’ the Governor added.
Speaking in her office, Ms. Kihika pointed out that the facility will include a shredding machine to process plastics and promote recycling, aligning with global efforts to reduce plastic pollution. For decades, the Giotto dumpsite has been at the center of Nakuru’s waste management system. Originally established in 1975 to serve a much smaller population, the site has grown into an open dumpsite overwhelmed by increasing volumes of waste due to an ever-rising population.
Over the years, the governor said Giotto had become a source of environmental pollution, foul odors, and uncontrolled fires due to methane gas production, posing health risks for communities in nearby estates including Hilton, London, Milimani and parts of Kabarak, and the larger Nakuru by affecting the county’s water and air quality. The dumpsite, she added, which is located on one of the town’s highest spots, had further caused water pollution through surface runoffs into Lake Nakuru and Njoro River.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), cities generate more than 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste annually worldwide, a figure projected to rise to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050 if sustainable waste management measures are not adopted. The World Bank estimates that at least 33 percent of the world’s waste is not managed in an environmentally safe manner, with open dumping contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, and water pollution.
Environmental experts note that Material Recovery Facilities play a critical role in reducing landfill waste, conserving natural resources, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and supporting the transition towards a circular economy through increased recycling and reuse of materials. Ms. Kihika stated that the establishment of the MRC is part of United Nations -Sustainable Development Goals partnership (Un-SDG) and contributes to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 13: Climate Action, while protecting public health and preserving Nakuru’s natural environment.
She said that her administration was actively supporting various initiatives towards converting waste disposal sites and sewerage treatment facilities into useful resources through recycling as a way of mitigating the impacts of the waste on the environment and public health. Nakuru, noted the Governor, currently stands as the leading glass recovery County in Kenya, through modification of crushed aggregates into building blocks and furniture.
Nakuru will be the seventh county to build an MRF, tapping into the opportunity of turning waste to treasure. The county, according to the Governor, is undertaking the conversion of waste disposal sites and sewerage treatment facilities into centers of sustainable innovation. Kihika pointed out that they were working in partnerships with local businesses, entrepreneurs, and organizations to transform waste into eco-friendly products like fuel briquettes, construction materials, furniture, and household items, among other innovative products.
She stated that they had adopted a sustainable and effective approach to waste management by embracing a circular economy model, which emphasizes waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. This approach, Kihika explained, could significantly reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and mitigate its impact on climate change and public health. ‘Through proper waste management, greenhouse gases emitted during waste combustion and decomposition in landfills will be reduced significantly,’ she added.
She said they are encouraging business people and residents to continue practicing the three Rs of reusing, recycling, and recovering what is useful from waste disposals. She said the county government was also working with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and other stakeholders on ways of discouraging people from using plastics and other materials that are not friendly to the environment. Ms. Kihika encouraged innovators to come up with more technical methods of environmental conservation and sewage management in urban regions and high-population rural areas to help in environmental conservation.
The Governor added that they have collaborated with retailers to come up with more sustainable carrier bags that will help in waste segregation, especially dry and wet wastes, and also plastic from the biodegradable waste. Segregating waste can improve the recycling process. For example, separating wet waste from dry waste is a simple way to help recycling companies. It will help to recycle non-biodegradable waste and treat biodegradable waste directly.
