Malindi environmental conservation stakeholders have embarked on a program to sensitize waste collectors within the resort town to make cash from trash and maintain cleanliness.

The stakeholders led by Progress Welfare Association of Malindi (PWAM) who have been in the forefront in organising monthly clean ups and creating awareness amongst community members on the importance of living in a clean environment said there were a lot of opportunities in the wastes being dumped.

PWAM together with its affiliate Malindi Green and Blue in partnership with Malindi Municipality began by reaching out to waste collectors who are in the town’s waste collection centres to enlighten them on the importance of keeping their area clean.

Some of them are making tree nurseries for sale within the dumpsite while others collect plastic, cardboards, and bottles for sale.

During their visit at Malindi Ginnery waste collection centres, it emerged most of the collectors were not united and there was reckless dumping of glasses.

Kate Mwikali the Chairperson of Malindi Green and Blue urged them to unite and form CBOs to benefit from the climate change funding as what they were doing individually was part of the global climate action.

She said since they started the monthly cleanups in 2019 over 5 companies have opened recycling centres where they buy a range of products from wastes which has impacted positively to the community and environment at large.

“Every month we have been cleaning the beach and town and since we started job opportunities have been on the rise as we got like five companies dealing with plastic wastes that’s why there are more job opportunities,” she said.

Mwikali said since they started cleaning up, they have been able to take 14,000 tonnes of waste to recycling plants including PET and HDPE adding that HDPE products are being made into useful products like handbags which are sold in Europe.

The Chairperson said there was a need for them to form a group and register a CBO so as to get funding from the different organisations that support conservation.

Effue Opiyo the chairperson of Malindi Green and Blue emphasized on the need for the waste collectors to keep their stations clean and take advantage of the opportunities which are there to earn a living from wastes.

“You may think your work is small or invisible but the fruits ahead are many. If you can only form yourself into groups and be organized you can get a lot of benefits,” he said.

Emmanuel Kalu an Administrator of Malindi Municipality said they would support the waste collectors with gloves, face masks and gumboots for safety purposes.

He said the collectors were doing a good job in ensuring that the waste products reaching the main dumpsite are less.

David Kinyanjui, a plastic waste collector who deals with plastic bottles said they lacked unity that’s why it’s difficult for them to form groups.

He said if they agree to form groups, it will be easier to keep the place clean and called on the municipality to help them with safety equipment.

Moses Mathenge, a tree nursery maker and seller said there were people who were throwing glass which was a safety hazard and called on the Municipality to intervene.