Construction begins for waste buy-back centres

Improving solid waste management in Windhoek
    - 2022-10-27 09:15:00
The construction of two waste buy-back centres in Katutura, as part of an EU-funded project to improve solid waste management in the City of Windhoek, was launched in the capital on Tuesday.
This initiative is a four-year project implemented within the framework of the Windhoek-Bremen Sister Cities Cooperation and funded by the European Union to the tune of €2.125 million (N$36.8 million).
The aim is to reduce waste volumes and harmful environmental impacts, and thus to expand the share of recycled waste along with creating jobs through innovative start-ups in the circular economy in Windhoek.
The waste buy-back centres receive waste, process it, and add value to it for reselling as raw material to the recycling industry for remanufacturing.
The project is expected to recycle 2 000 tonnes of waste, with 100 monthly drop-offs per month by 2025. Around 6 800 students (pre-primary, primary and secondary), and about 200 000 residents will be sensitised on waste recycling through the project.
Resident participation crucial
The participation of all stakeholders, including the private sector and Windhoek residents is crucial to ensure success.
Speaking at the ground-breaking, Windhoek mayor Sade Gawanas said that despite considerable delays experienced due to lockdown restrictions, substantial progress has been achieved.
“To date, public participation in the Environmental Impact Assessment process has been conducted for the two sites, and the project has been well received by residents, designs and layout are finalised for the construction of the centre here at Erf 10713, situated at the corner of Hans-Dietrich Genscher and Bondel Street in Katutura.”
Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Namibia, Sinikka Antila, congratulated the two cities represented by their mayors for this positive milestone to achieve the City of Windhoek’s ambitious targets on recycling, packaging waste, landfill and solid waste management.
“The groundbreaking for the construction of waste buy-back centres marks a visible and impressive step in our common endeavour to support Namibia to shift towards a more sustainable model known as the circular economy for Windhoek as a pilot, and hopefully for Namibia as a whole in the future.”