KEPSA in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry organized a workshop for the Sustainable Waste Management multi-stakeholder technical team which took place in Nairobi on 9^th to 10^th May 2023. The sustainable waste management act 2022, requires the cabinet secretary to support counties by developing a model legislation for counties on sustainable waste management. The model Bill customizes the Sustainable Waste Management Act 2022 and the draft Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations 2023 into the County context. The objective of the model draft bill is to provide a unified approach to move the country toward the realization of the Zero Waste principle, whereby waste generation is minimized or prevented.

The sustainable waste management act 2022, provides for a new governance of waste management through the waste management council. It expands the role of counties in securing a circular approach to waste management, especially enforcing segregation at the source of non-hazardous waste into organic and dry fractions. The waste service providers including collectors, transporters, material recovery facility operators, and landfill operators are formally recognized by the Act.

Counties are very instrumental in the actual implementation and enforcement of the provisions and will therefore play a critical role in the regulation of waste service providers and the practice of waste management.  Counties will also in partnership with the private sector establish infrastructure for source segregation in public spaces, ensure proper transportation schedules, and develop a plan for decommissioning existing dumpsites and transitioning to the use of sanitary engineered landfills for final disposal.

Waste generators also have a role to play in ensuring they segregate waste at source and hand it over to a licensed waste service provider.  The transition to a circular approach to waste management in Kenya is very critical in order to reduce pollution and land degradation arising from the linear model and poor waste management practices. The circular approach will also ensure decent jobs and secure livelihoods of, especially for youth and women who provide these critical services to society.