The Nairobi City County government is set to overhaul its waste management system by appointing a single contractor to handle the city’s refuse, responding to mounting concerns over pollution and overflowing garbage.
The new approach marks a departure from the current system, where several licensed companies manage waste collection across the county.
City Hall announced that the contractor will be responsible for collecting waste and transporting it to a centralised processing plant, which will have the capacity to handle 3,200 tonnes daily.
“While the processing plant is under construction, the contractor shall continue to provide uninterrupted waste collection services and transport the collected waste to the existing Dandora dumpsite, which the contractor shall also manage, operate, and maintain to world-class environmental, health, and safety standards,” the county said.
Under this arrangement, the contractor will oversee municipal solid waste from all designated areas in Nairobi County, manage access to the Dandora dumpsite, coordinate traffic within the facility, compact waste, and implement fire prevention measures.
“The contractor will undertake routine mechanised street sweeping, litter bin emptying, and installation of additional litter bins across the city as shall be guided by the procuring entity, integration of existing service providers in the solid waste management value chain, and closure and rehabilitation of existing illegal dumpsites across the county,” City Hall explained.
Nairobi, home to roughly 5.8 million people, has been struggling with rising environmental pollution due to poor waste management practices, leading to an increase in waste generation.
“This has created severe environmental nuisance and degradation with regard to air pollution, surface and groundwater contamination posing immense threats to the quality of life in the city and its environs,” the county said.
To address these challenges, the county government is rolling out an Integrated Solid Waste Management System as outlined in the Sustainable Solid Waste Management Act 2022.
The initiative aims to guarantee residents access to a clean and healthy environment, in line with constitutional provisions.
“To address this inadequate solid waste management and as part of the Sustainable Solid Waste Management Act 2022 and in accordance with the constitutional guarantee to every citizen on access to a clean and healthy environment, NCCG (Nairobi City County Government), wishes to initiate an Integrated Solid Waste Management System to ensure a clean and healthy environment in the county,” the statement added.
