Periods of rainfall offer a welcome relief from the hot and dry seasons. It begins with the first heavy down pour that soon drenches the roads resulting to a buildup of cars that cautiously navigate the flooded roads now covered by water and debris.
Amid the chaos, individuals step out braving the rain, mindfully treading along the waterlogged sidewalks.
When the rainy season arrives, the consequences are dire particularly in the urban areas and at the heart of this crisis is often an overlooked culprit: waste.
Flooding is a natural phenomenon often worsened by human action-or inaction. In urban areas, particularly cities, flooding is driven by a combination of interconnected factors, with poorly managed waste and heavy rainfall among the most significant contributors.
Cities drown as a result of two interconnected factors, poorly managed waste and heavy rains.
World Bank estimates, that global waste is expected to grow to 3.40 billion tonnes by 2050, more than double population growth over the same period. Waste disposed improperly is often collected by stormwater and washed onto water ways becoming a destructive force during periods of heavy rains.
Waste – A persistent legacy of urban flooding
Kenya’s capital, like various other growing cities worldwide grapples with the two interrelated challenges. A study conducted by JICA estimates that between 3,000 and 4,000 tons of solid waste are generated daily in Nairobi. While 60% of this waste is collected, a significant portion remains uncollected.
Uncollected waste that ends up in waterways exacerbates the effects of moderate rainfall, often resulting in severe flooding, worsening sanitation, and posing significant public health risks.
Each rainy season, popular and trending images surface online, showing some of Nairobi’s main streets submerged, vehicles stranded, and businesses brought to a standstill. The irony? Much of this waste, particularly plastics, could be recycled or repurposed.
Beyond the quick fixes
Addressing waste is critical in mitigating flooding yet efforts so far have been fragmented. Each year, the government allocates substantial funds for flood response.
However, a focus on addressing waste management would aid mitigate the severity of floods, reducing the need for recurring flood-related expenditures over time and a portion of this budget could be repurposed towards more pressing social priorities.
Moreover, with minimal emphasis on recycling or waste-to-energy solutions, means that a significant portion of waste continues to pile up in open dumpsites or accumulate in drainage systems. We need a shift in how we perceive waste: less as a nuisance to be discarded and more as a resource to be harnessed.
The implementation of the mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations, 2024, anchored in the Sustainable Waste Management Act (SWMA) 2022, marks a significant milestone in Kenya’s journey toward sustainable waste management.
These regulations represent a shift in how waste is managed by assigning manufacturers, importers, and brand owners the responsibility for the collection, recycling, or safe disposal of the products and packaging they introduce into the market.
By ensuring producers manage the full lifecycle of their products, the regulations will aid in reducing the volume of waste that accumulates in landfills and waterways and ultimately contribute to the mitigation of floods.
Additionally, when waste is separated at the source and assigned economic value, less of it is likely to end up in drainage systems.
Promoting waste segregation at source, a practice that minimises the need for costly sorting processes involving capital and manpower, is a critical step toward addressing the persistent challenge of flooding.
At the core of the challenges posed by poor waste management practises, is how waste is treated at an individual level. If individuals continue to discard plastic and other waste irresponsibly, no amount of infrastructure will fix the flooding problem.
Every rainy season, the cycle repeats. The link between flooding and waste is clear and only a deliberate, response can break the cycle. Individuals must recognize that waste is no longer just an environmental issue, but a disaster catalyst and requires collective action.
We have a role to play in building a future where waste no longer fuels floods but instead fuels progress. If we rethink how we manage waste, we can create cities that are not only cleaner but also more resilient to floods.
The rain will always come. The question is: will we be ready for it?
Jackline Waithaka is a Corporate Communications Officer. Email: [email protected]
