Project Update: How CEJAD Is Enhancing the Capacity of Waste Pickers to Reduce Methane Emissions

In Kenya, the Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD) is enhancing the capacity of waste pickers to reduce methane emissions.

The country generates a significant amount of organic waste, estimated at 5.72 million tons annually. This waste includes a variety of materials such as food waste, yard waste, agricultural waste, and more.

CEJAD is part of the “Mainstreaming Organic Waste Management Across 11 Countries” project, which is implemented by members of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) in Africa. This initiative is funded by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and aims to improve methane mitigation through source separation and organic waste diversion.

In this article, the second in our ongoing series highlighting our members’ work under this project, CEJAD spoke with Dorothy Otieno, Programme Officer for the Plastics and Waste Management Programme at CEJAD. She shares insights about their efforts as a partner in Kenya for the “Mainstreaming Organic Waste Management Across 11 Countries” project.

1. Thank you for your time Dorothy, Can you provide an overview of your organisation and its mission, highlighting your key activities and focus areas?

Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD) is a public interest Non-Governmental Organisation established in 2012. The organisation envisions a just and sustainable society. It is committed to achieving this vision by promoting sound management of chemicals and waste for better human health and the environment.

CEJAD’s work is organised around five core programme areas: i) Plastic pollution and waste management, ii) Elimination of highly hazardous pesticides, iii) Elimination of use of mercury, iv) Elimination of Lead use, v) Ozone and Climate.

CEJAD’s overall working approach multifaceted comprising i) Research across all the programme areas to generate data and knowledge on availability and impacts of chemicals and proposing policy recommendations to address the identified challenges, ii) Advocacy, using the generated knowledge to promote evidence – based decision making at the international, regional, national and local levels iii) Community engagement through implementation of pilot projects with communities as well as raising awareness on the findings of the research, policy implications and best practises.

CEJAD also serves as the co-convenor of the ‘Civil Society coalition to end plastic pollution in Kenya’, which collectively advocates for addressing plastic pollution comprehensively throughout its life cycle.

2. How has membership with the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) influenced your organisation’s work, and what benefits have you derived from this partnership?

Firstly, in addressing plastic pollution, CEJAD and GAIA jointly conducted Kenya’s first-ever brand audit in 2019. This initiative aimed to hold corporations accountable for plastic pollution impacting both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Since then, CEJAD has continued to carry out brand audits to generate critical data that informs the design of material recovery facilities within zero waste project sites and supports advocacy for the equitable implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems.

Secondly, GAIA has played a vital role in supporting CEJAD’s efforts to establish, strengthen, and sustain waste picker associations in Kenya. Through this partnership, GAIA facilitated exchange visits that allowed Kenyan waste pickers to engage with their counterparts across Africa.

These exchanges, particularly with organisations such as groundWork and the South African Waste Pickers Association, have enriched the process of formalising waste picker groups by sharing regional experiences and best practices.

Thirdly, GAIA has been instrumental in enabling CEJAD to expand its focus to include organic waste management. This has helped CEJAD broaden its interventions, allowing for more targeted support to waste picker groups in addressing organic waste challenges and mitigating methane emissions from conventional waste management systems.

Lastly, GAIA’s continued support has been central to CEJAD’s implementation of zero waste systems. The transition towards adopting zero waste principles has increasingly become a core pillar of CEJAD’s Plastics and Waste Management Programme.

3. What are your thoughts on the waste crisis that many countries in the region are facing?

I absolutely love this question! The waste crisis affecting many countries in the region is the result of several interrelated and compounding factors.

First, it stems from the increasing complexity and rapid production of materials. Many of the products entering the market today, such as multi-layered plastics and single-use plastics, are designed in ways that make recycling nearly impossible. Their sheer volume, combined with the challenges of processing such materials, renders current waste management systems ineffective.

Consequently, inadequate and harmful practices like incineration, open burning, and indiscriminate dumping are often used to manage these problematic waste streams.

Second, waste is typically mixed at the point of generation, contaminating materials that could otherwise be composted or recycled. This mixed waste is usually collected and transported directly to dumpsites, where sorting and recovery become more labour-intensive.

Unfortunately, this burden often falls on waste pickers, who handle these unsanitary and challenging tasks with minimal recognition or compensation.

Third, the existing linear waste management systems are both unsustainable and costly. These systems rely heavily on the collection and transportation of waste to distant disposal sites, which require constant expansion and maintenance to accommodate more waste. This approach is neither scalable nor environmentally sound.

To effectively address these challenges, we need a systems-based approach grounded in zero waste principles and inclusive of all stakeholders. Waste management should be decentralised, with functional material recovery facilities built using locally available and cost-effective resources.

The transition doesn’t have to be expensive—it just needs to be intentional and collaborative. The private sector must adopt more sustainable production practices, and policymakers need to establish and enforce regulations that support a shift toward zero waste systems.

4.  Your organisation is part of the Mainstreaming Organic Waste Management Across 11 Countries CCAC project in Africa. What has attracted your organisation to this project, and what are your hopes for organic waste management work in your country?

This project has been timely in supporting our efforts to advocate for methane emissions reduction from the waste sector. It has also added impetus to the organisation’s work with the current global discussions surrounding the transition of waste pickers, since it provides an alternative source of income for the workers.

5. Under the CCAC project, what are the primary campaigns or initiatives your organisation is currently implementing to address organic waste management challenges?

Through the project, the organisation has been building the capacity of waste pickers on i)  linkages between organic waste, methane gas emissions and climate change; ii) Source separation and organic waste management.

The organisation, in collaboration with Kisumu County Waste Pickers Welfare Association, also organised a zero waste walk education and outreach campaign, which was undertaken in the Obunga area in Kisumu to educate the masses about the importance of waste separation at source. This walk that brought together more than 150 waste pickers was the first of its kind in the area and marked a significant milestone in community engagement around zero waste principles, highlighting the critical role of communities in effective waste management.

Additionally, the organisation has engaged both county and national government officials to discuss organic waste management and methane reduction strategies.

These dialogues have highlighted the need for targeted interventions across sectors, including technical, infrastructural, and financial support. Waste pickers emphasised the importance of incentives to encourage waste pickers and other stakeholders to participate in organic waste management efforts.

6. What has been a personal milestone or most memorable moment for your organisation working on this project?

The most memorable part for me and a milestone for the organisation is that this project marked our first targeted initiative addressing organic waste.  We consulted waste pickers about their experiences, challenges and aspirations in managing organic waste. Based on those insights, we support the waste pickers’ capacity to manage this waste stream.  Our efforts are also targeted towards ensuring that organic waste management is prioritised and integrated into the waste management laws with the meaningful involvement and support of waste pickers.

7. What are the most pressing issues related to organic waste management in your country, and how do these challenges continue to influence how your organisation works on the problems?

Organic waste is a waste stream often under-addressed compared to recyclable waste streams such as metal, paper, plastics, glass, etc. It is usually mixed with all other types of waste, making it challenging to retrieve from the mixture.  Additionally,  it is often bulky with leaking leachate. The odour that emanates from it is ‘unpleasant’  to communities, and places to conduct composting have to be further away from residential areas. Access to these dedicated spaces is often costly or difficult to access.

At the same time, many of the county governments in the country are also in the process of reviewing their waste management laws to domesticate the Sustainable Waste Management Act that was gazetted in 2022 and in that sense, integrated waste management systems which require waste sorting and data reporting, have yet to be established/implemented.

In response, CEJAD is currently supporting the implementation of zero waste systems, which ensure that waste is sorted and that waste generation data is collected. We are also in the process of supporting county governments in the review of their county laws to ensure that organic waste is sufficiently addressed.

In parallel, we continue to build the capacity of waste pickers by offering training in organic waste management techniques such as composting and black soldier fly farming.

8. Looking ahead to the next few years, what type of needs or support do you anticipate continuing advocacy on organic waste management in your country?

Based on the findings from the needs assessment conducted with waste pickers and policy makers, as well as consultation with decision makers, it is clear that organic waste management must be prioritised in the country as a key strategy for reducing methane emissions. To enable effective management of organic waste, several priority areas have been identified:

• Provision of waste segregation infrastructure to households, accompanied by public awareness and sensitisation campaigns.
   
• Support for securing or leasing dedicated spaces for the processing and managing of organic waste.
   
• Training and capacity building for waste pickers, county officials, and other stakeholders involved in organic waste handling.
   
• Procurement of tools and infrastructure for data collection, alongside developing reliable data management and reporting systems.
   
• Promotion of enterprise development within the organic waste value chain.
   
• Support for the standardisation and quality assurance of compost produced by waste pickers
   

9. How does your organisation’s work on waste management intersect with social justice concerns, and how do you address these intersections in your advocacy and programming?

CEJAD has been actively supporting waste pickers, who play a critical role in complementing government efforts in waste management, by helping them organise and formalise their associations. This formalisation enables them to advocate for their labour and social rights collectively.

Organised waste picker associations in Kenya are engaging with government officials to seek formal recognition and integration into waste management policies, legislation, and planning processes. They are also pursuing alternative income-generating opportunities beyond dumpsite work and campaigning for better access to healthcare.

As a result of formalisation, public perception of waste pickers is shifting positively, with communities gaining a better understanding of their essential role in upholding the right to a clean and healthy environment.

In parallel, CEJAD is promoting sustainable waste management solutions, such as zero waste systems, which have the potential to create more dignified and inclusive job opportunities.

The organisation continues to advocate against false solutions like waste incineration, which not only diverts attention from addressing unsustainable materials but also destroys valuable resources and eliminates potential livelihoods.

In contrast, zero waste approaches support environmental health and reduce the harmful effects of open dumping, effects that disproportionately impact waste pickers, surrounding communities, and local food systems.

10. Are there any quotes, mottos, or beliefs that the organisation tries to adopt in all its work?

Yes, it is  “A just and sustainable society free of toxic chemicals.”