The proposed 45MW waste to energy plant in Ruai, Nairobi, might take off soon.
The National Environment Management Authority has asked the public to submit comments on an environmental impact assessment study report for the proposed project.
In a notice in the dailies Nema said it received an environmental impact assessment study report from Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC for the proposed project.
This is pursuant to regulations 21 of Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations 2005.
Environmental Impact Assessment is a critical examination of the effects of a project on the environment.
Any proponent of a project should conduct an EIA and prepare a report and submit it to Nema.
The EIA must be done by a registered and licensed EIA/EA expert by Nema.
The EIA must be conducted before the commencement of the project.
The goal of EIA is to ensure that decisions on proposed projects and activities are environmentally sustainable.
It guides policymakers, planners, stakeholders and government agencies to make environmentally and economically sustainable decisions.
It is therefore a legal requirement to carry out an EIA before the commencement of the project.
The EIA process requires that a proponent shall seek views of persons who may be affected by the project.
The proponent shall be issued with an EIA license before the commencement of the project.
With a market share of 65 per cent and an installed capacity of 1,817.82MW, KenGen is the largest energy producer in Kenya.
“The proponent, Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC intends to develop a waste-to-energy plant and achieve a power output of 45MW by utilising Municipal solid waste as fuel feedback for power generation at Ruai in Kasarani subcounty in Nairobi county,” Nema said in the notice.
The authority said uncollected and illegally or improperly disposed waste poses serious risks to public health and the environment which usually leads to downstream costs higher than what it would have cost to manage the waste properly in the first place.
“This project seeks to address solid waste management challenges within the Nairobi Metropolitan region experiencing increased environmental pollution," Nema said.
"[This is] due to the current poor municipal solid waste disposal practices from its growing urbanisation and population as part of national solid waste management strategy 2014.”
The authority said the move is in accordance with a constitutional guarantee to every citizen on access to a clean and healthy environment.
Nema further said the move is a step towards taking measures for greenhouse gas emissions reduction of more than 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emissions in 20 years operation period.
This, the authority said, will arrest global warming and make the country a low carbon society in compliance with six and 13th Sustainable Development Goal.
The goal emphasises the provision of safe clean water and a safe environment and climate action by regulating emissions and promoting renewable energy in line with the 26th edition of the conference of parties goals.
The impact of the project include loss of vegetation cover and biodiversity and generation of solid and hazardous waste.
The other impact include noise and vibrations, population/ demographic movement and employment; conflicts due to competition for employment; security and crime and surface groundwater pollution.
Grievances, social misconception and conflicts, air pollution, dust, exhaust emissions, odour, occupational health and safety are some of the other impacts to which KenGen has put in place mitigation measures.
Nema said the full report for the proposed project is available for inspection during working hours at the Environment office at NHIF building, Nema director general's office at Popo road and the county director of Environment (Nairobi office) during the working hours.
A copy of the report can also be downloaded from Nema’s website www.nema.go.ke
The oral and written comments must be submitted within 30 days.
Nairobi generates about 3,000 tonnes of waste daily, according to the Nairobi County Sustainable Waste Management Plan.
Uncollected solid waste accounts for 774 tonnes per day, while private recycling companies handle 654 tonnes daily.
Dandora dumpsite was officially opened in 1975 with World Bank funds and 26 years later in 2001, it was considered full.
Up to date, Nairobi's garbage still ends up at Dandora despite it being full.
In a move to get rid of the dumpsite, the Nairobi Metropolitan Services and KenGen signed an MoU to set up an energy plant in August 2020.
This would lead to an opening of a new income stream for City Hall and an opportunity for KenGen to diversify its electricity generation sources.
As per the MoU, signed between the two, KenGen will develop and operate the power plant, while NMS will provide the land and the solid waste to the power plant.
The initial site of the project was Dandora, but a decision was made to change the project site to a more suitable location after due diligence and concerns over safe flight path requirements.
With careful consideration and looking at several alternatives within the city of Nairobi and its environs, the joint team settled on the Ruai site.
However, in 2016, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority opposed plans for the Ruai landfill, saying it fell within the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport flight path.
KCAA said the dumpsite, just 10km from the country’s main airport, would breach International Civil Aviation Authority requirement that such a facility be at least 13km from a runway.
ICAO said the movement of birds from a dumpsite that is near an airport can cause fatal accidents or serious damage to aircraft.
ICAO develops policies and standards, undertakes compliance audits and performs studies and analyses.
It also provides assistance and builds aviation capacity through many other activities and the cooperation of its member states.
The construction of the plant comes against the backdrop of a court order in July last year that urged NMS to relocate the Dandora dumpsite within six months.
The order was given by Environment and Land Court judge Kossy Bor who said NMS should establish a new environmental-friendly dumpsite within the given timelines.
Isaiah Odando and Wilson Yatta sued on behalf of the Ufanisi Centre in Korogocho.
They said the Dandora dumpsite is filled with smoke from burning plastic waste that releases toxic and carcinogenic gases into the atmosphere.
They had sued NMS, Nema, Environment CS Keriako Tobiko and Nairobi, Machakos, Kiambu, Kilifi, Makueni and Tana River counties.
The petitioners accused NMS and Nema of violating their rights and also sought orders to stop pollution of the Nairobi and Athi rivers.
“NMS is directed to take steps to decommission the Dandora dumpsite and relocate it to another site within six months of the date of this judgment,” the court said.
The national government has already drafted a National Sustainable Waste Management Bill, 2018.
The Bill, which has been passed by the National Assembly and has moved to Senate, will cut down waste by 95 per cent if passed.
Those found polluting could be fined up to Sh4 million or spend a maximum of four years in jail if the waste management policy is adopted.
There is a new policy on waste management.
Under the policy that has been approved by the Cabinet, waste will be segregated at the source before service providers move them to materials recovery facilities.
At the recovery facilities, sorting, selling and treatment is done.
Five per cent of the waste will be incinerated, 30 per cent recycled, while 60 per cent will be turned into manure. Only five per cent will go to landfills.
Currently, waste generated goes directly to the dumpsite, a move that has created massive dumpsites across the country.
(edited by Amol Awuor)