Story by Drake Nyamugabwa
Proper solid-waste collection according to experts is important for the protection of public health, safety, and environmental quality however the entire process is a labor-intensive and costly activity.
Although public employees are often assigned to do the task, sometimes it is more economical for private companies to do the work under contract to the municipality or for private collectors to be paid by individual homeowners.
Youth and Women in Kasangati 16.3 km on Gayaza Road in Wakiso district have decided to venture into a project to turn various types of waste into valuable assets and others such as plastics, collected for sale to vehicles that distribute them to recycling plants in the city industrial areas.
According to the resident waste collectors, the main objective of collecting is to earn a living through sales but also conserve the environment.
In an interview with Mr. Desmond Kugonza, the tyre waste collection team leader and a resident of Kasangati said that they were propelled to start collecting tyre waste following a tip from a friend who was empowered on how to turn tyre waste into valuables such as chairs, table among others.
“By empowering just 2 million youth to transform waste tyres into furniture, producing at least one piece weekly, we could remove an estimated 100 million waste tyres from circulation each year. This initiative would not only create jobs, combat poverty, and lower crime rates but also have a profound environmental impact” he said
Mr. Kugonza said that the result of the consistent process with more investment in the venture to factory level, would save countless trees by reducing the demand for wood-based furniture, help control malaria by reducing stagnant water in discarded tyres, and provide sustainable waste management solutions.
Along Kiira Road from Kasangati, the narration of Mr. Kasozi Godfrey and Mrs. Joyce Kasozi Nakkanga, Poultry Farmers was astonishing.
The Poultry farmers have reduced charcoal consumption and dismissed the foul odors by depending on 20m³ of biogas generated from the farm’s bird and animal waste of over 10,000 birds.
Mr Kasozi said that “I have witnessed how biogas at our farm have cut costs while saving nature. Initially, we used solar dryers to handle the waste, but as our capacity grew, we had to upgrade to a dewatering machine. This innovation helped us separate the liquid from the solid waste, speeding up the drying process, but the impact of this renewable energy solution was transformative”
He said they operate, where they specialize in egg production through cage-layer farming and that the installation of the biogas system allowed them to repurpose the liquid from the chicken droppings as feed for the biogas system, which not only eliminated the odor but also provided them with a reliable and eco-friendly source of energy.
He called upon investors to set up bio-gas factories to assist farms manage waste and conserving the environment.
In a meeting with one of the recycling companies in the Kampala Industrial area, The Manager of Dunia Recycling Innovators, Mohamed Karmali said that they ventured into plastic recycling to boost waste management and open up new opportunities to waste collectors.
He said they have set up solid waste from distribution centers in urban slam centers to support resident collectors in transporting their waste to the factory for recycling but also paying them to improve their livelihoods.
Mr. Mohamed Karmali said that in order to change the narrative of irresponsible waste disposal, and manage plastic pollution, there is need to take responsible action in recycling to save the environment.
“The only way to curb plastic pollution is to take action and recycle. As one of the largest FMCG companies in East Africa we have created Dunia Recycling Innovators to do just that. The motivation to recycle plastics and change the narrative of irresponsible waste disposal is key for my generation and future generations to come” he said
He said that the collection of plastic waste is conducted though a fleet of three-wheeler motorcycles which he said have a network to collect from major plastic waste centers in Kampala and other areas in Uganda.
“We are currently operating a fleet of Three-wheelers which are the first of its kind in Uganda. They are collecting plastics from all major Restaurants, Hotels, Places of worship, Resorts, and Supermarkets in Kampala. We have taken the initiative to supply plastic recycling Bins to these centers for collections to be regular and more efficient” he said.
He added that “Uganda is drowning in plastics, this is a global issue. We are ready to make a change and make a difference by recycling plastics not only in Kampala, but country-wide
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) in September 2024 launched the Popular Version of the National Environment Act, Cap 181 translated Ateso, Luganda and Runyoro languages.
The Popular Version according to NEMA Executive Director Dr. Barirega Akankwasah will be used as a tool aimed at easing the raising of environmental awareness and literacy among communities so that people can adopt practices and behavior that enhance the protection of the environment.
“The Popular Version is a simplified and easy-to-understand copy of the original Act. It highlights all the major legal provisions of the Act. Its translations will make a contribution to the understanding of the environment and to the eventual participation of Ugandans in the protection and enhancement of their environment. It is anticipated that understanding and appreciation of the National Environment Act will improve compliance” he said
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