From crisis to opportunity: It is time to rethink waste management

**Dandora dumpsite in Nairobi.** [File, Standard]

Waste, by any definition, is what we discard—items we no longer want or need. However, how we manage this discarded material reveals our society’s values. In Kenya, the responsibility for waste management is devolved to county governments as outlined in the Constitution. The role of the national government is to establish the policies, standards and norms and provide capacity development to the county governments. The current practice in waste management is to transition from linear to circular economy. While some progress has been made, we remain far from where we need to be in aligning with the goals and principles of circularity.

Kenya generates approximately 8 million tonnes of waste annually, encompassing domestic, industrial, medical, electronic, and more. From banana peels to plastic bottles, and from chemical sludge to e-waste, the sheer volume and complexity of waste is accelerating. It’s no longer merely a sanitation issue; it is evolving into a public health crisis, an environmental emergency, and a missed economic opportunity.

The National Solid Waste Management Strategy lays out a clear pathway: Reduce, reuse, recycle, recover. Counties are mandated to enforce waste policies, establish infrastructure for collection and segregation, provide recycling centres, and maintain comprehensive records on these activities. There are indeed positive signs: 35 counties have enacted laws specific to solid waste management, Material Recovery Facilities have increased from 53 to 62 in various scales across the country, with Taita Taveta launching a classic example of a material recovery facility recently. Fifteen counties now operate sanitary landfills of various scales, with companies actively involved in recycling and setting up e-waste collection centres.

Despite these advancements, implementation is uneven. In many areas, waste still accumulates in open dumps, pollutes rivers, and clogs storm drains. Counties very often grapple with insufficient funding, inadequate waste infrastructure and limited public awareness to prioritise waste management. County governments are the duty bearers and require an enabling environment and a financing framework to undertake this responsibility. The counties require to diversify their sources of financing including pursuing Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).

Encouragingly, some counties are leading the way, some allocating land for waste management infrastructure in anticipation for potential PPP investors. Kakamega has developed an organic waste reuse facility, while Meru has embraced public-private partnerships to enhance material recovery. Kiambu is collaborating with Producer Responsibility Organisations to implement take-back schemes and operate their landfill while many other counties are establishing waste management infrastructure in partnership with the private sector. These innovations demonstrate that with the right mindset and investment, sustainable waste management is not just feasible but also economically advantageous. The county governments require commitment and technical support from the national government to effectively utilise PPPs to effectively deliver the waste management function as assigned by the Constitution.

We urgently need to nurture a culture of responsible waste management. This should be embedded in a curriculum in the education system pursued at the household level and permeate every instrument of planning at the county and national levels.