Health officer sets record for collecting 2.2 tonnes of used diapers in 72 hours

Used diapers at Nanyuki dumpsite. [File, Standard]

A Kilifi County public health officer and an environmental conservation champion, Kevin Anungo, has broken a record of collecting 2.2 tonnes of used diapers in 72 hours.

In a challenge dubbed '72 hours diaper collection accountability,' Anungo collected 2.2 tons of diapers containing about 1 ton of human waste.

He said the challenge was to promote responsible diaper waste disposal and environmental awareness to reduce the spread of contagious diseases like diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid.

"I did this initiative for 72 hours straight without sleeping. Diapers are not like the ordinary waste. The human waste in it spreads diseases, litters our environment, and ends up contaminating our water sources, including oceans," said Anungo.

He collected the waste from 11 dumpsites in Mnarani and Sokoni wards.

''In Mnarani ward I visited seven dumpsites, and in Sokoni ward I visited five dumpsites in the Kiwandani and Mabirikani areas. Out of these sites, only three were designed by the Kilifi municipality; the rest were open dumpsites. We collected and disposed of them at the county dumping site in the Mtondia area," said Anungo.

The county employee regretted that most locals were dumping used diapers with human waste in pit latrines, open dumpsites, and drainage systems, creating long-term environmental and health risks.

Through the challenge, he hopes to highlight gaps in policy on diaper use and disposal and encourage responsibility from households and counties.

"If diapers are treated casually when discarded into our environment, then it is necessary to courageously question what that means for public health, human dignity, and environmental sustainability," he said. 

The public health officer said his challenge aims to push diaper manufacturers and suppliers to address the growing environmental and public health challenges associated with improper diaper disposal in the country.

"The campaign demonstrated the scale of diaper waste entering our environment and the associated risks of fecal contamination, disease outbreaks, blocked drainage systems, and environmental degradation. It highlights a critical gap in consumer awareness and disposal systems, said Anungo.

He urged diaper manufacturers to come up with proper disposal awareness plans for consumers, develop and disseminate clear, practical guidance on safe diaper use and disposal, conduct community demonstrations and education on household-level disposal practices, and promote responsible behavior to reduce environmental contamination.

Further, Anungo asked the government to come up with proper disposal of diapers, like incinerators.

''The right way to dispose of the diapers is to incinerate them. So we need the government to come up with incinerators. The energy coming from the incinerators can also be used because the smoke will also be treated," he said.

Anungo also asked landlords to come up with special dustbins for mothers with babies to dump the diapers separately from other trash, and once full, they transport them to the various dumping sites designed by the county municipality. 

He also spoke about the significance of the outfit he donned for the challenge.

"By wearing a cloth made of diapers, I sought to visually demonstrate the scale of diaper waste generated daily and draw attention to the fecal contamination burden trapped in these materials," he said.

In addition, Anungo said that his choice of clothing was also to spark public conversation and reflection beyond statistics and reports as well as emphasize the role of prevention, awareness, and accountability in public health.

In addition, the environmental conservation champion said diaper usage in Kilifi County has reached 99 per cent of households, a trend he described as both environmentally destructive and a ticking time bomb for community health.

"99 per cent of mothers and caregivers in Kilifi use diapers except the 1 percent who live in the rural areas and cannot afford to buy nappies. A baby uses a minimum of four diapers a day," he said.

Baha Madzo Gadze charity chairperson Steven Otieno urged diaper manufacturers to take responsibility by supporting awareness campaigns and introducing policies for safe disposal.

Otieno said plastic pollution is still a challenge because of human behavior.

 "We collect about 65 percent of diapers in our environmental activities apart from plastics per week. Companies must step in with solutions. Diapers now make up the majority of waste in Kilifi’s dumpsites, and this is unsustainable,'' he said.

Manufacturers should extend producer responsibility and should come back to the ground to make sure that diapers are disposed of correctly, he added.

Mary Safari, a breastfeeding mother, admitted that she often has no designated place to dispose of her used diapers.

She has appealed to county authorities to provide proper bins and collection systems, saying families are left with no choice but to dump diapers in open sites.