Rwanda’s $72m waste management facility

A new $72m waste management facility is planned in Kigali, Rwanda, to be completed by 2026.The facility will cover 50 hectares but have no open dumpsites. It aims to treat household and other waste to prevent environmental hazards. The goal is to address mixed waste, which raises sorting costs, and leachate, which contaminates soil and water. The facility will have infrastructure for waste reception, handling and sorting, along with a leachate treatment plant.

• Kigali generates about 600 tonnes of waste per day. The new facility aims to manage this more effectively.

• Waste management is seen as a public responsibility, focusing on preventing environmental hazards.

• The new facility aims to turn waste into useful products like fertilisers, plastic products, and metals.

• The current landfill will be closed, covered with a garden, and methane gas will be extracted for use.