• A 2010 a survey showed Dandora dumpsite was over three times full. Garbage has been compacted but it’s still overflowing.
• Nairobi county government accused of neglecting the dumpsite and turning it into a cash cow with cartels. Nairobi county officials at the Dandora dumpsite during a clean-up. Closure, relocation and setting up an energy plant at Dandora dumpsite appear to be impossible, two county governments down the line.
Over the years, there have been plans and reported deals but nothing has materialised as garbage piles up and fires emit toxic fumes
Dandora dumpsite was officially opened in 1975 with World Bank funds and 26 years later in 2001 it was considered full.
At that time it held more than 1.8 million tonnes of solid waste against a 500,000-tonnes capacity but still serves as Nairobi’s main dumpsite today
However, the Environment and Land Court has ordered that Nairobi’s main and legal dumpsite be closed and relocated away from Dandora by February next year.
It covers 30 acres.
Justice Kossy Bor on July 15 ordered the Nairobi Metropolitan Services to relocate the dumpsite and establish a new environmentally friendly dumpsite within the same period— by February next year.
After shutting it down, the court also ordered NMS director general Mohammed Badi to rehabilitate the dumpsite. He was also ordered to work the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to put in place strategies to separate and recycle waste.
However, will a court order push NMS to deal with mountains of waste within six months after two county governments failed to solve the Dandora problem?
According to a July report by the National Environmental Complaints Committee (NECC), Kenya generates 22,000 tonnes of waste per day, including 2,400 tonnes in Nairobi county.Sixty to 70 per cent is organic waste, 20 per cent plastic, 10 per cent paper, two per cent metal and one per cent medical waste.It all ends up at the Dandora dumpsite without anything being separated, plastic mixed with decomposing garbage.The dump is also a health hazard, leading to the increase of chronic diseases in the estates near the dumpsite. A boy sits on a pile of garbage at the Dandora dumpsite. CARTELS The dumpsite is also said to be a multi-million shilling cash cow manned by cartels.In January 2016, thugs had closed roads and blocked garbage collectors’ trucks from accessing the dumpsite until they paid levies.Gangs charged City Hall and private garbage collectors’ trucks levies to deposit garbage at […]
