City of Windhoek to introduce waste buy-back centre for residents
The City of Windhoek held a ground-breaking ceremony on 25 October for their Waste Buy-Back centres, where residents will soon be able to earn an income by collecting and selling their recyclable waste at the centres.
The project was funded by the European Union to the tune of N$36.8 million under the Windhoek-Bremen sister cities cooperation.
Windhoek Mayor, Sade Gawanas said the main objective of the project is to reduce waste volumes and harmful environmental impacts through recycling waste and creating jobs for residents. “This project is expected to recycle 2000 tonnes of waste, with 100 monthly drop-offs by 2025,” added Gawanas.
Chairperson of the Provision of Basic Services Committee, Alderwoman Fransina Kahungu said the population growth in Windhoek has increased waste generated monthly, which has subsequently placed a toll on the City of Windhoek landfills and shortened their lifespan. “A paradigm shift towards waste management focusing on waste minimization and recycling is needed and we anticipate that the operationalization of the waste buy-back centre will create the necessary awareness towards this mind shift,” added Kahungu.
Head of the European Union delegation to Namibia, Sinikka Antila urged Windhoek residents to restore Windhoek to its former glory of being the cleanest City in Africa. “Let it be our mutual ambition and utilize the means available under this new project to bring Windhoek to where it was some years ago! In the first place,” added Antila.
The waste buy-back centres will be equipped to receive waste, process it, and add value to its reselling or provide it as raw material to the recycling industry for re-manufacturing.
