Kenya

"Waste Management"

The Intermediate Technology Development Group ITDG Practical Action estimates that the current generation rate of plastics is almost 1 million tonnes per annum in Nairobi alone. Plastics constitute (all types) approximately 20% of the urban waste generated in Nairobi everyday. An estimated 4,000 tonnes of the low-density plastic bags called "flimsies" are produced each month in Kenya for shopping and packaging purposes. It is these thin plastic bags that are most prone to in ardent littering. The level of recycling and reuse of post consumption flimsies is very low, with only four firms in the country involved in the activity. There is an evident need for comprehensive interventions focused on management of the flimsy polythene.

Click here to read a Nation newspaper article of October 6, 2006

Click to read the recent Practical Action ITDG report

With the support from UNDP-Kenya, ITDG Practical Action in collaboration with University of Nairobi is exploring innovations for polythene recycling. University of Nairobi is offering technical advice in the design of a machine that will recycle plastics wastes into useable items. The machine dubbed 'transextruder' is designed to mould plastics into commercially viable products such as plastic bowls, buckets etc.So far several established groups have shown interest in this machine.

Kibera Youth group boasts of 36 active members who are involved in solid waste management as well as car wash services. They collect solid waste within Ayany Estate in Kibera slum area and charge 100 Kenya shillings per month per household. Mwiki Action Group (MAG) has over 20 active members who collect waste from Mwiki Estate in Kasarani Division. They have adequate space for waste management activities equipped with a plastic recycler machine (hopper). In Westlands Division, Simon Kabiru a private investor has one full time employee, 100 casuals and 40 handcarts used for waste collection. He is eager to take on the transextruder. City garbage collectors who have been operating since 1976 recycle flimsy polythene into mattresses and have a charcoal briquetting machine and an operation yard where they undertake their activities

In July 2005, the pilot project on sustainable plastic waste management in Nairobi was launched. The project aims at lobbying for a ban on plastic shopping bags that are less than 30 microns in thickness (plastic bread bags are 6-7 microns). It also aims at consumer awareness and anti-littering campaign, promotion of voluntary schemes such as a national code of practice retailers, plastic bag levy collected from suppliers and development of an environmentally friendly alternative bags amongst many things.

Through the support from UNDP-Kenya, Practical Action facilitated the registration of a Plastic Co-operative Savings and Credit Society. Prior to registration, the nominated members were trained on requirements of a Co-operative as stipulated in the Co-operative Societies Act. The Co-operative has been active in the collection of used flimsy plastics. This is also purchased from community members at ksh.5 per kg. The used plastic will be cleaned and supplied to Green Loop Company for recycling at an agreed price of ksh.10 per kg. More than 20 tonnes of flimsy plastics have been collected and stored by individual CBOs at their yards. The Jomo Kenyatta University has designed a plastic washing machine for the Co-operative.