Kibera is an informal settlement, a slum, in Nairobi. Around 700 000 people are living in the densely populated area and have a lack of adequate waste management, water and sanitation services. The main solid waste pollutions in Kibera can be divided into organic and inorganic waste. Organic waste is understood as kitchen waste like food and inorganic waste is mainly plastic bags, different bottles and cans. People living in Kibera are used to dump their waste everywhere because there are no proper waste collection facilities. There is also little space so the soil is basically covered with waste. This provides both environmental and health problems.
The first step is to change people’s attitudes toward their environment and surroundings. The lack of awareness how the waste can be used or disposed is very common. Some basic knowledge about waste reuse and management can be taught to small children at school and information shared to the households in the community meetings. It is important that households know how to sort out their waste to organic, re-usable and incinerated. Some basic facilities to collect this sorted waste should be arranged. People should bring their waste to the collection point and other authority should collect this waste to transport it elsewhere. This collection point should not be too far from households using it and there should be a road that trucks can use. It is also important that people understand that it is worth to pay for this kind of service but in this case payments have to proportion to the household’s income. This payment system should be somehow very flexible.
A proper disposal of hazardous waste should be organized. Small clinics are serving in the area and they have problematic waste that can be dangerous for health. Information for households should be given also which materials are hazardous and where these materials should be brought.
Sorted waste can be used in different ways. Biowaste can be used in composting or in a biogasifier to produce energy. Composted material can be sold further to be used as a fertilizer and the biogas produced can benefit the whole community. Incinerated waste can be sold to the industry for energy production. Re-usable material can be used for to make for example handicrafts like jewellery, toys, and art. The waste material can be used in different creative ways. In waste management I think there is still a lot of potential to create employment and income in developing countries.
How to reduce waste? This is a question not only for developing countries but also for industrialized countries. Packaging and wrapping should be minimized and I think this can be reached by minimizing transportation. If the product is transported a short distance, it doesn’t need so much protection as a package. Effective recycling and re-using of materials is also a key term, and it should be done in a way that it’s economical. The price of basic raw materials like oil will contribute to this in a long period. I think in the future biobased materials that are easily decomposed will benefit.
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