Mechanically Managing Waste

Do you know what happens to every piece of plastic or glass waste you dispose of? In Shella, we know exactly what happens to it, once it is at Kijitoni Dumpsite.

For 17 years, we have been dedicated to tackling the pressing issue of solid waste management in Lamu with the aim of maintaining a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable environment for all people, animals and plants here. Through our collaborative waste management program with Shela Environmental Residence Group (SERG), the corridors and beach areas of Shela are appealing to look at as waste cleanup is done every waking day.

This year, we made commendable progress at the Kijitoni Dumpsite, and took our efforts to the next level! Thanks to funding from The Lamu Environment Foundation and Daniel’s support from Takataka Solutions in electrifying the dumpsite, we have installed two machines that are revolutionizing our glass and plastic waste management efforts.

Glass Gone Green - The Glass Crusher

We have a glass crusher that is transforming waste glass bottles from homes and hotels in Shela, into ground powder. Ground glass can be used to make stronger concrete, so talk about turning trash into treasure! 

We're working closely with SERG to clean up Shela daily, and this glass crusher is a game-changer. So far, all unbroken glass bottles brought to the dumpsite have been crushed, with the machine clearing up to 250 kgs per day. We are working on crushing the remaining pile of broken glass, safely. As you get rid of that glass today, remember Kahindi’s clarion call to dispose of it nicely with minimal breakage, for their own safety.

Baling Out on Plastic -  The Hydraulic Baler

We have also welcomed a hydraulic baler to the team. This beast is tackling those mountains of plastic waste and compressing them into compact, recyclable bundles, weighing up to 50 kgs each! 

So far, we barely have plastic bottles laying around at the dumpsite as 27 of the 52 neatly packed bales have been transported to The FlipFlopi for further processing. Talk of being a part of the circular economy where waste is minimized and resources are maximized. 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse, – and Rejoice!

We are incredibly proud of the progress we've made so far, but we know there's still work to be done. We encourage everyone to be mindful of their waste and embrace the 4 R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse! Every little bit helps, and together, we can make a big difference.

Let's keep this green revolution rolling by creating a sustainable future for Lamu and our precious coastal ecosystems! Learn more about our waste management project and how you can get involved. 

Written by Evelyn Kimori

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