Rwanda launches new Project to increase the capacity of the current waste management system in the City of Kigali

Rwanda has launched the project to improve waste management in the city of Kigali. The launch of the project took place on Tuesday, 24th August 2021.

According to a press statement from the organizers of the launch, the population growth and rapid urbanization of Rwanda’s cities both pose significant challenges to sustainable development and green growth.

The City of Kigali has undergone a dramatic period of expansion and economic development.

Currently, the City of Kigali faces multiple priorities and demands to meet rising demands for sustainable services. Solid waste management is recognized as a critical need area with impacts that overlap public health, environmental protection, and employment.

Waste entering landfill sites in the City of Kigali has increased from 141.38 tons per year in 2006 to 495.76 tons in 2015. Mitigation measures in the waste sector constitute 14% of the potential for GHG emissions reduction.

Of the 0.66MtCO2e of estimated mitigation potential from waste, 54% is from landfill gas utilization, 34% from waste-to-energy, and 9% from aerobic composting.

The City of Kigali has deployed strategies aimed at increasing collection and measures to mitigate the most urgent risks and concerns regarding the operation of the Nduba landfill. However, additional measures are needed to increase the sustainability of the site as well as to integrate circular economy approaches to several of the waste streams entering the site.

The interventions introduced as part of the project outcomes will have the potential for replication at waste management and collection sites throughout the country.

The National Environment and Climate Change Policy identified inadequate waste treatment as well as the increase of electronic waste as one of the key issues and challenges in environmental management. Solid waste management is a critical component required to move towards a green economy. Innovative solutions are needed to utilize the circular economy approach towards waste management in Rwanda and to recuperate recyclable materials, harness energy and reduce landfill sites.

The business model of waste management has proven effective in treating waste as a valuable resource. In light of these challenges the Ministry of Environment of the Government of Rwanda initiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development of the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to strengthen cooperation and technology transfer between the two countries and ultimately to embark on the project Waste to Resources: Improving Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and Hazardous Waste Management in Rwanda.

The project aims to adopt integrated sustainable waste management approaches and circular economy business models to increase the capacity of the current waste management system in the City of Kigali. The project aims to incorporate technical assistance and technology transfer to facilitate specialized waste treatment and recycling at the Nduba landfill.

By strengthening the capacity of key actors and incorporating technological approaches to sustainable waste management, the project aims: 1) to reduce the untreated waste collected at the landfill site, 2) create revenue-generating business models from existing waste streams to create green jobs, 3) increase access to sustainable services for residents in the City of Kigali, and 4) reduce GHG emissions from the waste sector.