Month: March 2025

By Nicole Murugi

Solid waste management (SWM) is a significant public health and environmental concern in many developing countries’ urban regions. Nairobi’s solid waste situation, which could be used to represent Kenya’s overall situation, is characterised by low solid waste collection coverage, pollution from uncontrolled waste dumping, inefficient public services, an unregulated and uncoordinated private sector, and a lack of key solid waste management infrastructure. Allison (2010) predicts a daily solid waste generation of 4,016 tonnes. The collection rate is as low as 33% (JICA, 2010), leaving around 2,690 tonnes uncollected (nearly equivalent to the total daily trash generation estimated by JICA (1998)

Apart from the Nairobi City Council (NCC), which is responsible for the supply and regulation of SWM services in the city, other actors have emerged, including private firms and community-based organisations. The modes of operation of these actors are poorly known. Effective coordination among these entities is also lacking, and the city council’s control of private firms is only just getting started.

According to Mwangi (2007), a review of total costs incurred by various players and waste collected every month revealed that CBOs had the lowest fixed cost of operation when compared to commercial enterprises. Furthermore, CBOs had the lowest cost per tonne of waste collected when compared to other operators, who exhibited nearly double that amount. These findings imply that solid waste management is extremely expensive, and that CBOs are the most cost-effective solid waste operators. As a result, CBOs should be left as garbage operators in low-income regions where residents cannot afford to pay a high waste management fee because to their cheap operating costs.

Because of their relatively high operating expenses, private enterprises are better suited to operating in high-income regions and the central business district, where inhabitants or building owners can afford the services. However, private firms are primarily concerned with getting a return on their investment and may not be efficient due to the complexity of their operations, particularly when effective coordination and SWM models are lacking.

Nairobi faces substantial waste management and recycling issues, despite increased awareness and efforts to solve the issue. While the city produces a large amount of waste, only a small portion gets recycled, with the remainder ending up in landfills and open dumps. The absence of effective infrastructure, insufficient public knowledge, and informal waste disposal techniques all contribute to the problem. However, other organisations, including the Circular Economy Innovation Cluster and private enterprises such as TakaTaka Solutions, are attempting to create a more sustainable waste management system.

Key Challenges: Nairobi’s rapid urbanisation has resulted to increased trash creation, exceeding the capacity of current waste management systems. Limited infrastructure, particularly in informal settlements, leads to illicit dumping and contamination due to inadequate trash collection services. Nairobi has low recycling rates, with most garbage ending up in landfills and open dumps, despite efforts from stakeholders. The informal sector collects waste, but lacks regulation and infrastructure, posing threats to health and the environment.

Inadequate public understanding about waste management and recycling techniques leads to incorrect disposal and limits the effectiveness of recycling efforts. Nairobi’s waste management operations face significant challenges due to the high prevalence of plastic garbage, which is difficult to recycle and dispose of.

Key Initiatives and Organisations: Circular Economy Innovation Cluster: This coalition of stakeholders, which includes government agencies, corporations, NGOs, and garbage workers, is working to establish circular economy solutions for waste management in Nairobi.

Nairobi’s waste management situation is complicated, presenting both challenges and opportunities. While the city confronts considerable challenges in terms of infrastructure, public knowledge, and recycling rates, several projects are being implemented to solve these difficulties. A multi-stakeholder approach, comprising collaboration between the government, corporate sector, NGOs, and communities, is required to build a more sustainable and circular waste management system in Nairobi

Recycling is an essential component of waste management. It entails transforming waste materials into new goods, lowering the demand for raw materials, and contributing to the conservation of natural resources. Recycling provides various benefits:

1. Conservation of Natural Resources Recycling reduces demand for raw materials such as wood, metal, and oil. For example, recycling paper saves forests, whereas recycling aluminium lessens the need for bauxite mining.

2. Reducing energy use. Recycling requires less energy than making new items from basic resources. For example, recycling aluminium requires up to 95% less energy than producing new aluminium from bauxite.
While there are obstacles, Nairobi has numerous options to enhance its waste management and recycling practices:

1. Public Awareness Campaigns. Educating communities on the necessity of trash segregation and proper disposal can help decrease waste contamination and promote recycling. Campaigns should focus on educate people about the environmental impact of garbage and how they may help reduce it.

2. Improving the Recycling Infrastructure Investing in recycling facilities and making them accessible to the public is critical. Nairobi can expand its collection stations for recyclable goods and encourage companies to engage in recycling activities.

3.Stringent Enforcement of Waste Disposal Laws The government can enact rules requiring appropriate garbage disposal and encouraging recycling. Penalties for illegal dumping and littering can help prevent these destructive behaviours.

4. Collaboration with Private Companies. Public-private partnerships can help to improve Nairobi’s waste management systems. Private enterprises specialising in waste collection and recycling can collaborate with the government to develop efficient and sustainable solutions.

Waste management and recycling are critical to keeping Nairobi clean and healthy. By reducing garbage, increasing recycling, and improving waste management systems, Nairobi can protect the environment, conserve resources, and create a better living space for its citizens

Waste collection in Nairobi is primarily handled by the private sector, which includes corporations, micro and small businesses, and community-based organisations. Despite these efforts, the city continues to deal with waste disposal issues. Informal communities frequently bear the burden of the lacking services. Among other reasons, they lack adequate waste management systems, forcing people to essentially live on, and sometimes off, waste. Waste is frequently deposited in informal areas, where it accumulates over time and poses a significant health risk to the residents. Government actions are frequently absent or insufficient to address the problem of garbage in informal communities.

Nairobi’s growing urbanisation presents various issues. Citizens encounter a variety of issues on a daily basis, including insufficient and bad infrastructure, environmental deterioration, overburdened public services, a lack of security, and corruption. Several self-help organisations have responded to the lack of public services, notably waste management. These organisations fill the void created by the absence of the state or other private institutions. Their work has a significant impact on the lives of inhabitants; nevertheless, because to long-standing practices and a convoluted, or non-existent, relationship with the city council, they frequently fall short of realising their full potential. Waste is mostly an urban problem, with worldwide effects.

According to a UN-Habitat estimate, Nairobi produces 876.000 tonnes of garbage every year. The city reports collection coverage rates of 60-70%, with 100% in the main commercial district, and 54% of waste generated being collected.[6]The UN-Habitat study found that public health is the primary driver of solid waste management in Nairobi.[7] Waste collection in Nairobi is primarily handled by the private sector, which includes corporations, micro and small businesses, and community-based organisations. Despite these efforts, the city continues to deal with waste disposal issues. Informal communities frequently bear the burden of the lacking services