Efforts to sort waste at the household level have made significant strides in recent years, driven by growing awareness of environmental issues and the need for sustainable waste management practices.
According to a 2022 publication by the Ministry of Infrastructure, ‘National Integrated Solid Waste Management Strategy’, sorting at the source remains a challenge nationwide, despite guidelines existing for this practice.
The publication indicates that a few waste collection companies transport sorted wastes within the City of Kigali. Generally, the practice of separation at the source amongst households is lagging, among other appropriate waste management practices.
At the household level, Marguerite Uwimana, a Kigali resident, expressed that regarding waste separation, she finds it difficult to allocate time and resources to separate waste effectively.
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"I know separating waste is important, but honestly, with all the daily responsibilities of taking care of my family and tending to housework, it’s hard to prioritise. Plus, we do not really have the proper bins or guidance on how to do it efficiently.”
Moreover, she emphasised the need for support and incentives from local authorities on waste management. "If there were programmes or initiatives to provide us with the necessary tools and information on facilitating household waste separation, I think more families like mine would participate.”
Uwimana’s situation reflected a common challenge faced by different people, where access to waste management infrastructure may be limited.
Epimaque Kalisa, owner of a bakery shop, highlighted a crucial challenge faced by many small businesses that lack resources and support for proper waste separation.
Despite recognising the importance of waste separation, Kalisa explained that the absence of necessary tools and incentives makes it impractical for them to implement such practices.
"In my bakery, waste is generated in various forms, including plastic packaging and food leftovers. However, without adequate means provided by waste management companies, separating these different types of waste becomes a burdensome task,” he said.
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"Additionally, without clear guidance or incentives from these companies, it’s challenging for small businesses like ours to prioritise waste separation over other pressing operational needs,” he added.
Paulin Buregeya, Chief Executive of Company for Protection of Environment and Development (COPED), said there have been challenges from all three key players; waste generators, collectors, and regulators.
"Waste generators, comprising households, companies, and other entities, lack the necessary equipment for waste segregation. Meanwhile, waste collectors, primarily companies responsible for waste collection, face a significant obstacle due to a shortage of trucks. Specifically, the scarcity of trucks capable of handling organic and plastic waste poses a major challenge,” he explained.
According to Buregeya, there is a crucial need for investment to ensure that collectors have the necessary tools, especially trucks, to efficiently manage different types of waste.
Additionally, he acknowledged the challenges faced by waste regulators, citing a shortage of suitable waste separation sites.
"Regulatory bodies have struggled with a lack of designated sites for waste segregation. However, they have set up two new sites that will soon facilitate the separation of organic waste for soil enrichment and plastic waste for material valorisation. We will be executing this in July of this year,” he added.
Dismas Karuranga, a pollution and waste policy specialist at the Ministry of Environment, highlighted the collaboration between the Government of Rwanda and international partners on the project ‘Waste to Resource’.
"This project was undertaken in conjunction with the Government of Luxembourg spearheaded by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). It is operating in Kigali at Nduba Landfill. We are building a facility there to sort waste. Additionally, GGGI is supplying equipment to assist people across different parts of Rwanda in separating waste at home,” he added.
Karuranga emphasised that their efforts extend further through another project, the ‘Waste and Circular Economy’ initiative.
"This project receives crucial support from the German Ministry of Environment, enhancing our capacity in various aspects to safeguard the environment. It operates across the country, where we have trained environmental and sanitation staff on waste separation techniques.”
He mentioned the successful implementation in districts like Muhanga, Bugesera, and Rwamagana, noting that trained personnel will further educate citizens on waste management practices.
"In addition to our initiatives, we actively engage communities during Umuganda community service, addressing various topics to educate citizens. Collaborating with the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC), we emphasise waste separation at the household level. Our goal is to sustain this project for 2-3 years,” he elaborated.