Nairobi City County has announced a major crackdown targeting businesses in the central business district (CBD) over improper waste disposal.
Chief Environment Officer Geoffrey Mosiria, in a statement released on Monday morning, said the operation would focus on hotels and other establishments that generate significant amounts of waste.
“I will be leading an operation in the Central Business District to inspect all hotels and other establishments that generate waste, focusing on how they manage and dispose of it,” Mosiria said.
Mosiria noted that sacks of garbage are often dumped along road reserves and walkways, contributing to the untidiness of the city, an act that had prompted the devolved government to act in a bid to end the menace.
“Currently, if you walk through the CBD, you will find sacks of garbage dumped along road reserves and walkways, contributing to the untidiness of our city,” he added.
According to Mosiria, some businesses avoid the cost of proper waste disposal by hiring street families or unlicensed individuals who charge less but dispose of waste unlawfully.
“One of the biggest challenges we face is that many businesses that generate waste do not want to incur the cost of proper disposal. Instead, they hire street families or unlicensed individuals who charge less but end up dumping waste illegally,” Mosiria explained.
The officer warned that businesses failing to pay the county for waste collection, or not using approved private waste service providers, will face legal action.
Mosiria added that any garbage found dumped within the CBD will be traced back to its source, with those responsible held accountable.
The crackdown, he said, will extend beyond the CBD as part of efforts to eliminate illegal dumping across Nairobi, even as calls for a cleaner city continue to emerge.
According to the official, while the measures may be tough, they would be necessary to achieve lasting results. “Sometimes, difficult and unpopular decisions must be made to achieve lasting results, and a clean, organised city is our ultimate goal,” he added.
Meanwhile, a recent United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report noted the alarming growth of global waste, warning that urgent action is needed to avoid severe environmental and economic consequences. Titled "Beyond an Age of Waste: Turning Rubbish into a Resource," the report predicted that municipal solid waste could surge by two-thirds within a single generation, with associated management costs nearly doubling if current practices continue.
The Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 (GWMO 2024), the most comprehensive update on waste generation and management since 2018, projected that global municipal solid waste will rise from 2.3 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050.
