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AFRICA'S 1ST SEMI-AEROBIC LANDFILL PROJECT IN HIGH GEAR IN THIKA

Kiambu Governor Hon. William Kabogo on Friday inspected the construction progress of the Kangoki Semi- Aerobic Landfill . The project, funded by the Swedish Embassy, Kiambu Government, UN Habitat and the Lands Ministry, Housing and Urban Development at a cost of Sh114 million, was launched on March 23rd. The construction works on the 20-acre parcel kicked off sometime in May this year. The county government plans to later expand it later to cover 50 acres.

The project, the first of its kind in Africa, is modeled on the Japanese Fukuoka University’s technology application on solid and liquid waste management is being supported by UN-Habitat, through a joint collaboration with the County Government of Kiambu, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Embassy of Sweden and Japan’s Fukuoka University.

The Fukuoka method involves consolidating waste through a series of pipes assembled at the bottom of the landfill that due to their perforated structure, guarantee optimum aeration and decrease the release of toxic gases. The pipes also allow leachate to easily discharge from the landfill into a secure retention pond before being transferred to a nearby sewage facility for treatment and release. It has a comparative advantage over other waste management formulae because 70-100 tons of waste will be managed daily in addition to a leachate treatment system.




The leachate collection pipe, comprising the perforated main and branch pipes and gravel, is laid at the bottom of the landfill to discharge the waste as quickly as possible. Leachate is water that has percolated through a solid and leached out some of the constituents.
The plant is a landmark in environmental conservation. Once complete, it will offer waste management solutions and assist in the production of free fertiliser for the Kiambu farmer.

Its introduction will therefore help maximise land use and ensure proper solid waste management. For ages now, African cities have been unable to manage their waste, hindering growth. This method has worked perfectly in Asian countries. It will be a convenient way of ending the chronic problem of waste management in urban areas across Africa, a factor that will contribute to growth of urban areas.


Meanwhile, the county assembly plans to make laws on waste management that will regulate dumping of polythene and plastics, especially bio-degradable waste.

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