Waste management groups in Taita Taveta county have started the process of forming an umbrella body as part of an innovative approach to strengthen collection of waste in the region.
Their new union is part of strategies geared towards operationalisation of the Solid Waste Recovery Facility at Chakaleri in Mwatate subcounty.
County environment chief officer Elizabeth Mbinga said on Tuesday the recycling facility is meant to transform waste management into a profitable and eco-friendly venture, benefiting both the environment and the local economy.
She said the facility will further revolutionise municipal solid waste management in the county.
The project is being funded by the European Union under the Go Blue Project in Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani.
“The umbrella body will empower individuals involved in waste management and foster a sense of ownership and responsibility towards sustainable waste practices and wealth creation,” Mbinga said.
She said the waste management groups will be integrated in conservation activities to help avert the waste management menace.
The facility, Mbinga said, will serve as a central hub for sorting, segregating and recycling various types of waste materials suited for the market.
“With the support of technology and trained personnel, the waste recovery facility will ensure that waste is recovered efficiently and in an environmentally friendly manner," she added.
Further, the facility will enable efficient separation and recycling of plastic, paper, glass and metal, thus creating hundreds of jobs in the recovery value chain.
She urged residents to actively participate and support plans set out to successfully deal with uncollected waste in the county.
The devolved unit is keen on streamlining the solid waste management to deal with the growing waste menace.
The county generates approximately 200 tonnes of solid waste daily, with at least 70 per cent being uncollected.
Only 56 tonnes of solid waste get to the county’s dumping sites at Chakaleri and Riata daily.
To reduce the uncollected waste, the county is working on implementation of the County Solid Waste Strategy.
The strategy will enable the county to collect 50 per cent and 80 per cent of municipal solid waste generated in the county by 2025 and 2032 respectively.
It is also pivotal in achieving a circular economy by converting waste to wealth and creating employment.
