Environmental activists at the famous Nakuru dumpsite Gioto. They are in action collecting recycling materials from the garbage. [Photo|Standard Media]
The Nakuru county government in partnership with the Green Belt movement has embarked on training self-help groups in Nakuru on recycling solid waste material and turning it into cash for improved livelihoods.
In a bid to keep Nakuru town clean, the “Waste to Cash” initiative is deemed as a way to strengthen the unemployed youth and women to and help them capitalize on effective waste collection and recycling processes.
The county`s Director of Environment Muriithi Kiogora, has welcomed the initiative saying: “The regional government will steer deliberate partnerships with waste management players in the private sector in the quest for manageable dumpsites in the County`s major urban centres of Nakuru, the resort town Naivasha and Molo," said Kiogora.
He says through the initiative; targeted beneficiaries will have sorting booths at designated points in the towns where they will be able to sort out recyclable waste before it gets to dump sites which he says are already stretched due to years on mismanagement.
As the county contends with lack of adequate land for dump sites, Kiogora says the initiative is well poised to minimize pressure on available dumpsites while helping to provide citizens living around dump sites the much-desired respite against a range of adverse health effects of mounting dumpsites.