This archive report was first published on 22 May 2020.
On May 21, 2020, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) donated medical disposal and management equipment to the Nakuru Level 5 Hospital, marking a significant step towards implementing a sustainable waste management program in Kenya.
According to Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Dr. Chris Kiptoo, Kenya generates 22,000 tons of waste daily, with 60% being organic material, 35% recyclable, and 5% non-recyclable.
The proposed National Sustainable Waste Management Bill aims to reduce waste by 95% by promoting green entrepreneurship, technology transfer, and green jobs. Under the new policy, counties will ensure waste is segregated at source before service providers move it to materials recovery facilities for sorting, selling, and treatment.
Five percent of the waste will be incinerated, 30% recycled, and 60% turned into manure. Only five percent will go to landfills. The policy seeks to redefine waste as a contributor to economic growth opportunities rather than a problem.
Speaking at the Nakuru Level 5 Hospital, Dr. Kiptoo noted that the hospital discharges between one and a half and two tons of medical waste daily. He emphasized the importance of proper waste management in containing the spread of respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
County Governor Lee Kinyanjui expressed concern about the management of COVID-19 pandemic, citing the disposal of 600,000 non-reusable face masks daily in Nakuru, which poses a significant challenge to waste management.
