Kenyan waste pickers face severe health risks at Dandora landfill

Every day, workers rush to retrieve recyclable materials from 2,000 tonnes of waste dumped at the Dandora landfill site in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. France 24 reported that these waste pickers put their own health at risk in the process. Despite their intensive efforts, only 7 percent of the plastic dumped at the site can be recycled. [1]

Global plastic production presents significant environmental challenges worldwide. France 24 reported that 460 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally every year. According to figures from the United Nations cited by the outlet, only 9 percent of that plastic is ultimately recycled. [1]

Electronic waste is also growing rapidly as global technological consumption rises. Discarded electrical and electronic devices reached approximately 62 million tonnes globally in 2022, with only 22.3 percent formally collected and recycled. Global generation of electronic waste is projected to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030. [2]

The health hazards at the landfill come amid broader public health challenges in the country. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Kenyan health authorities confirmed an Ebola case in a 39-year-old relative of the country's first victim after an outbreak spread from central Africa. [3]