Kisumu: The County Government of Kisumu has established six Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to enhance waste management and reduce environmental pollution in the area. Speaking during the launch of one of the facilities in Kondele, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Water, Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources Judith Oluoch said the state-of-the-art facilities have been equipped with modern shredders to ensure all segregated waste, including plastics, is recycled.

According to Kenya News Agency, Oluoch explained that the facilities are not dumping sites but collection centers where residents and waste collectors will deliver sorted waste for recycling. She emphasized that the initiative was not only a step toward environmental conservation but also a catalyst for job creation, especially for women and youth.

The Kondele facility, constructed at a cost of Sh5 million through the Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) programme, is expected to significantly alleviate the plastic waste challenge in the densely populated area. Oluoch noted that the area faces a serious waste management problem and the facility will help address it while also offering employment opportunities.

Oluoch further revealed that the Department of Environment is planning to construct a larger central facility to support the six existing ones as part of a broader strategy to add value to waste. She stated that a compressor loader truck has already been procured to transport waste to the main dumping site in Kasese and that policies are being reviewed to attract partnerships that will enhance environmental conservation.

The Chief Executive Officer of Gasia Poa Waste Management Services, Dickens Ochieng, noted that the firm was awarded the tender to run the facilities. He emphasized that waste separation would begin at the household level to ensure only recyclable material reaches the facilities and mentioned plans to acquire moulding machines to further add value to the shredded waste.