The County Government of Kakamega is set to establish Material Recovery Centers where waste generated from the county will be assorted.
The centers will be used to segregate biodegradable, solid, plastics, Electronic waste (E-waste), and other forms of waste for proper disposal.
The County Government will then recycle the biodegradable waste in Matawa area to produce organic fertilizer.
“As you are aware, we are working with Regen Organics to establish an organic fertilizer factory in the Matawa Mumias West sub-county. This factory will apply efficient, zero-waste processes to produce high-quality fertilizer,” said Kakamega deputy governor Ayub Savula.
Speaking during the launch of monthly clean-up activities, Savula said the non-biodegradable waste will be disposed off in appropriate dumping sites located on the outskirts of Kakamega town.
“For plastic waste, users of plastic bottles will be required to participate in disposals through the extended user responsibilities,” he noted.
Savula announced that the county government has set aside every third Friday of every month as a day for monthly clean-up.
“Everybody within the county will be required to spend an hour from 8 am to clean the environment,” he explained.
He said that as the county prepares to host the African Nations Football Championships in September this year, relevant departments will prepare the necessary protocols to guarantee high standards of cleanliness in town and neighboring urban areas.
“Our cleanliness is going to be a reason why Kakamega is going to be chosen for future national and international events as well as being a destination choice for tourists,” he added.
The deputy governor further noted that the county government is working with the county assembly to prioritize the establishment of sustainable waste management legislation to create an enabling environment for waste management.
“We will also be entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with special interest groups in waste management to establish material recovery facilities in each region to promote waste recovery as well as turn waste into income-generating activities,” he added.
The County Executive Committee member for Water, Environment and Natural Resources, Peninah Mukabane, said the ban on the use of plastic bags for packaging remains, warning traders against violations.
By Moses Wekesa and Stanley Odhiambo
