|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Albert Mwangeka
Taita Taveta, Kenya: Taita Taveta County has officially launched the first-ever Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in the Coast region, paving the way for a circular economy in the county.
The Sustainable Management Waste Management Act supports the establishment of MRF, a specialized facility that targets receiving, separating, and preparing recyclable material for marketing to end-user manufacturers.
The facility is set to maximize the recovery of recyclable material and optimize recycling processes, which reduces environmental degradation.
The circular economy is built on the foundations of minimizing waste and promoting sustainable use of resources.
This economy model supports incentivising waste collection as trade in recyclables, thereby boosting the financial viability of the investment, while also developing products within the circular economy framework.
Launch highlights
During the event at Chakaleri in Mwatate Sub-County, Governor H.E. Dr. Andrew Mwadime, EGH, supported the circular economy agenda, calling the newly launched infrastructure an avenue for empoweringthe grassroots populace.
“This reinforces commitment to sustainability; community members can collect garbage for sale and create a market for the recycling sector in the county,” he remarked.
The Taita Taveta County Governor encouraged every community member to positively contribute to the success of the facility while remaining enthusiastic that women, youths, people with disabilities, and other marginalised groups will utilise this facility as a means of securing green jobs and sustainable economic empowerment.
Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UN-Habitat, Amb. Grace Okara, hailed the initiative as one that transformed waste into wealth while ensuring future generations inherit a cleaner, greener environment.
“As you are empowered, work closely with schools and invest in training children to sort the waste and change it into wealth. We will work closely with you to ensure the sustainability of this project, create more jobs, and earn a stable living from this. Let’s change our thinking and embrace a green economy,” added Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo.
The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Water, Sanitation, Environment, Climate Chang,e and Natural Resources, Grantone Mwandawiro, remarked that the facility transformed a hazardous dumpsite that posed health risks into a project that will improve residents’ living standards.
According to community member Cherubet Zefania, the structure now shelters them from the scorching sun and rain. 
“I know that this project will also empower us economically, as it is a place to collect, process, and sell the output, creating jobs for women and youths,” she added.
Creation of the MRF that is set to collect in bulk waste plastics, paper, and aluminium cans, before sending to recyclers, sets the stage for operationalizing the Solid Waste Management Strategy, thereby enabling streamlining waste collection and recovery systems.
While emphasizing how residents would benefit from waste recycling and pollution reduction, Governor Mwadime, in his concluding statement, noted, “ This also aligns with the same county’s Solid Waste Management Strategy, aiming to collect 50% of municipal waste by 2025 and 80% by 2032, promoting a cleaner and greener environment.”
The MRF initiative is a joint venture involving the County Government of Taita Taveta, the National Government, the European Union (EU), Go Blue, Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the UN-Habitat through the Civil Society Urban Development Platform (CSUDP).
