New law in offing to aid waste reuse

Major General Mohammed Badi Director-General Nairobi Metropolitan Services speaking during the launch of the Nairobi Circular Economy. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

City residents who dispose of waste without separating them could soon land in trouble.

Narobi Metropolitan Services boss Mohammed Badi revealed this during the launch of circular economy, a campaign aimed at reducing waste in the city in a planned and proper manner. He stated that if the current waste management Bill was passed into law, he would be in the forefront to enforce it.

“Nairobi generates 3,000 metric tonnes of waste in a day yet we have a linear method of collecting and dumping in Dandora. There is a law in the making that will ensure separation is done at the household level,” he said.

Badi pointed out that “one will be required to have four dustbins for different types of wastes. Once the Bill is passed into law we will enforce it”.

Badi said in the meantime the Ministry of Environment has launched the circular economy campaign to enlighten Kenyans on waste management that will also help some residents make money out of garbage.

He said the county was already constructing material recovery centres in all 17 city sub-counties for the collection of segregated wastes.

“Remember that all waste we generate can be reused or recycled and can earn you a living,” said Badi.

Environment PS Chris Kiptoo said circular economy involves handling discarded materials as commodities for reuse rather than for disposal, and conserving them through waste prevention, recycling, composting and other technologies.