By Ismail Bategeka
www.mkneslink.com
In Kampala—-
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is finalising procurement for waste sorting, material recovery and gas extraction facilities at the Buyala landfill as it seeks to reduce open dumping, cut greenhouse gas emissions and turn waste into reusable materials and a potential source of energy.
KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki said the planned facilities would enable the authority to process waste and recover reusable materials instead of relying on continued dumping.
“Our journey is not done. We do not want to continue dumping,” Ms Buzeki told Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) during its inspection of the Buyala landfill.
The planned investment is part of efforts to modernize waste management and address environmental and safety risks associated with landfill operations.
Under the proposed arrangement, waste sorting would separate different materials, while material recovery facilities would support the collection and processing of recyclable waste for reuse.
KCCA is also considering harvesting methane gas from the landfill, a move that could help reduce emissions from decomposing waste and create opportunities for energy production.
Deputy Executive Director Benon Moses Kigenyi said the proposed initiative could improve environmental safety while positioning Uganda to benefit from carbon trading.
He said methane extraction was among the options being considered to manage emissions from the landfill and promote sustainable waste management.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas released when organic waste decomposes in conditions with little or no oxygen. Capturing it can help prevent some of the gas from escaping into the atmosphere and contributing to global warming.
If the quantity and quality of the recovered gas are suitable, it could potentially be used to generate energy. However, KCCA has not disclosed the expected volume of methane, the technology to be installed or the amount of energy the project could produce.
Mr Kigenyi said the initiative could also create opportunities for Uganda to participate in carbon trading, where qualifying projects that reduce or capture greenhouse gas emissions can earn carbon credits.
Such benefits would depend on the project’s ability to demonstrate measurable emission reductions and meet the applicable carbon credit requirements.
The proposed facilities could also help reduce the volume of waste requiring final disposal by recovering materials that would otherwise be buried at the landfill.
For Kampala, the plans come amid the challenge of managing growing volumes of rubbish generated by households, businesses and institutions.
Improved sorting and recycling could help recover valuable materials while reducing the environmental pressure associated with dumping.
However, the effectiveness of the project will depend on the installation, operation and maintenance of the facilities, as well as efficient waste collection and separation systems.
Methane extraction also requires proper engineering and monitoring because the gas is flammable and can pose safety risks if it accumulates or escapes from poorly managed systems.
During the COSASE inspection, legislators assessed waste management operations and the infrastructure used to control environmental pollution at the Buyala landfill.
The authority has not yet provided details on the total cost of the planned facilities, the implementation timeline, their expected processing capacity or the projected financial returns from methane recovery and carbon trading.
