Waste is a resource that can be managed to achieve economic, social and environmental benefits. Addressing the waste management challenge effectively in Kenya is critical to delivering on Kenya’s constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment for all, advancing the circular economy to create green jobs and wealth from the waste sector, and realisation of the nation’s sustainable development goals. Sustainable waste management is also fundamental to delivery of each of the government’s “Big Four” national priorities the transformational agenda on housing, manufacturing, food and nutritional security and health care and to Kenya’s leadership in the blue economy, with its focus on creating economic growth, ensuring healthy waters and building safe communities.
This Policy will advance Kenya towards a more sustainable and circular economy. It will move the country towards realization of the Zero Waste principle, whereby waste generation is minimized or prevented. It will help ensure that waste is collected, separated at the source, reused and recycled, and that the remaining waste stream is destined to a secure, sanitary landfill. If proper regulatory frameworks and incentives are in place, such a system will build long-term resilience, while generating new business and economic opportunities and providing broad environmental and social benefits to all Kenyans. Effective sustainable waste management will create value from the waste stream through re-use and recycling, formalizing the waste- pickers’ sector to improve livelihoods, improving landfill operations and management including capturing and utilizing gases like methane emitted from landfills. In addition closing open dumpsites; capping landfills, reducing plastic pollution in the marine environment, and creating new jobs in the sector, especially for youth and women, in waste collection and recycling will be other benefits.