Duale: Kenyans to use colour-coded bins in new garbage disposal rules

Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced new regulations aimed at improving garbage disposal for homes and businesses across the country.

Duale explained that the new rules will introduce a system of colour-coded waste bins, requiring Kenyans to sort their waste more effectively.

“Next week I am going to gazette the colour coding of the garbage that is found in your houses. Every homestead and facility must have different garbage bins for different waste whether organic, dry or wet," he said during Mazingira Day.

The goal of these changes, according to the CS, is to enhance waste management and ensure better disposal practices.

The gazettement of these new rules is expected next week.

CS Duale emphasised that the government will closely monitor garbage collectors responsible for waste removal in various neighbourhoods.

"Nema has the responsibility to trace the waste from our homes to the dumping site. We will put into question those companies that are procured to dispose of garbage," he noted.

He also stressed the importance of transparency from private garbage collectors.

"Private garbage collectors must tell us where they dump," he said.

Nairobi generates 3,000 metric tonnes of waste in a day and most of it goes to the Dandora dumpsite, which has been full for years and is not sustainable.

The Dandora dumpsite was officially opened in 1975 with World Bank funds and 26 years later, in 2001, it was considered full, but up to date, Nairobi's garbage still ends up there.

Currently, close to 30 per cent of solid waste across the city’s 17 sub-counties is collected by private waste collectors.

At the moment the county collects 3,200 tonnes of garbage daily, the bulk of the work being done by City Hall.

However, the Environment CS has put on notice garbage collection companies contracted by the Nairobi County government, accusing them of illegal dumping practices which end up polluting the Nairobi River.

Speaking during the Mazingira Day event at the Nairobi Arboretum Duale highlighted the government's commitment to holding waste collectors accountable, particularly those involved in illegal waste disposal along the river.

"We are going to put to question those garbage collecting companies procured by Nairobi City County," Duale said.

"Governor Sakaja is on board, and we will demand answers from these companies on where they are dumping the waste they collect. As it stands, much of it ends up in Nairobi River, and that will not be the case going forward," he added.