According to Rwanda's Vision 2050 Sanitation Master Plan, the country has mapped out the projected volume of waste that will be generated in different districts, along with designated sites where both organic and non-organic waste will be collected and processed.
Dr. Kabaasha told IGIHE that several landfill projects are already underway. In Kigali, the Nduba landfill has been officially designated, while in Nyanza, Kayonza, and Nyagatare districts, new landfills have been completed.
Construction works are advancing in Musanze, Karongi, Rusizi, and Rubavu, while feasibility studies are ongoing in Muhanga, Huye, Bugesera, and Rwamagana.
'As the construction of modern landfills across the country progresses, sanitation and hygiene standards will continue to improve, and more waste will be recycled,' he explained.
On the issue of wastewater treatment, Dr. Kabaasha noted that the sector is steadily expanding.
'So far, Kigali has 35 small treatment plants, while Nyamagabe, Nyanza, Rulindo, Gicumbi, Kayonza, and Nyagatare districts each have their own facilities. In addition, four new plants are under construction in Rusizi, Karongi, Rubavu, and Musanze,' he said.
Once completed, these facilities will also serve neighboring districts that do not yet have treatment plants. In Kigali, further projects are already taking shape.
'A new treatment plant is being built in Masaka to process wastewater from toilets. Another large plant will soon be constructed at Giti cy'Inyoni to handle wastewater from Nyarugenge District. Feasibility studies have also been conducted for Gasabo and Kicukiro, and we are now mobilizing resources to build treatment plants there as well,' Dr. Kabaasha explained.
How far has Rwanda gone in recycling household waste?
The Ministry of Environment, in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), has introduced a program to process and recycle waste from the Nduba landfill.
On June 19, 2024, new facilities were inaugurated after construction that began in July 2021, with support from the Ministry of Environment and the Luxembourg Environment Agency for Biodiversity.
Among the new infrastructure is a Waste Sorting and Separation Facility with the capacity to process at least 100 tons of waste per day.
According to Dr. Asaph Kabaasha, CEO of WASAC Group, several pilot projects on waste recycling have already been implemented in districts including Nyanza, Huye, Bugesera, Kayonza, Nyagatare, Nyarugenge, and Nduba.
'From these pilot projects, we have seen possibilities, such as producing organic fertilizer from biodegradable waste. We are encouraging entrepreneurs with the expertise, capacity, and interest to design projects, approach financial institutions, and partner with the government,' Dr. Kabaasha said.
He added that as Rwanda's capacity grows, citizens will be trained on household waste separation, which will significantly reduce the volume of waste ending up in landfills.
IGIHE
