Adolf Kaure
Operations at the Namwaste Management Facility (NMF), located outside Arandis, began this week.
The NMF is Namibia’s first fully compliant general and hazardous waste management site, located 17km northwest of Arandis. The project, worth N$200 million, was launched last year and covers 177 hectares of land. It will collect a minimum of 60 000 tonnes of waste per year.
The facility addresses the country’s longstanding shortage of compliant hazardous waste infrastructure and supports the needs of the industrial, mining and emerging oil and gas sectors.
The approval of the project and the granting of the Environmental Clearance Certificate from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism on 5 March 2025 followed the full process of undertaking a comprehensive and detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), including all required specialist studies, in full compliance with the requirements and provisions of the Environmental Management Act (EMA).
According to Namibian Uranium Institute director Gaby Schneider, the project has garnered strong and consistent support from key stakeholders since its inception.
“The launch of Namibia’s first fully compliant hazardous waste management facility marks a trans-formative step forward for the Uranium Mining sector in particular, where strict environmental stewardship and transparent waste management are an integral part of the operational culture.
“By ensuring that hazardous waste is handled safely, responsibly and in line with global standards, Namwaste is strengthening Namibia’s competitiveness and reinforcing our long-standing commitment to sustainable resource development,” said Schneider.
The first load of hazardous waste has been successfully transported to the site, marking the official start of temporary storage operations.
Activities will continue to scale in the coming months, driven by urgent national needs and industry partners’ strong commitment to responsible and sustainable waste management.
New era
With a fully compliant facility now in operation, Namibia is equipped for the first time with an end-to-end solution covering hazardous waste collection, transport, tracking, treatment and storage.
This enables environmental commissioner Timo Mufeti to establish a modern, enforceable regulatory framework aligned with international standards, ensuring traceability of waste from origin to final storage and strengthening national control systems.
“The start of operations at this fully compliant facility provides Namibia with the essential foundation needed to regulate hazardous waste responsibly. For the first time, we can build and enforce a national framework that ensures safe collection, controlled transport with full traceability and environmentally sound disposal. This marks a significant step forward in strengthening Namibia’s environmental governance and protecting our natural resources,” said Mufeti.
This milestone marks a major step forward for Namibia, providing the country with the infrastructure and regulatory foundation needed to manage hazardous waste safely and sustainably.
Rent-a-Drum’s managing director Riaan Vermeulen said, as operations expand, Namwaste will continue working alongside industry and authorities to ensure long-term environmental protection and responsible national development.
“After a thorough two‑year environmental impact assessment process, the approval of the Environmental Clearance Certificate one year ago marked a major achievement for this project,” he said.
“Our teams have managed every stage with discipline and transparency, ensuring full compliance with international requirements. This milestone confirmed the robustness of the project and enables us to move confidently into operational growth,” said Vermeulen.
Establishing this facility in the Erongo region is part of a comprehensive approach to environmental preservation, public health protection and local job creation.
Rent-A-Drum said it will help mitigate the impact of hazardous waste on ecosystems and populations while stimulating the region’s economy by creating approximately 40 new permanent jobs.
Furthermore, as part of its direct contribution to the development of local communities, under the impetus of the !OË-#GÂN Traditional Authority and in coordination with the Gaingu Conservancy, Rent A-Drum, in partnership with Orano Mining Namibia, has committed to funding local development programmes.
As part of this, the company will develop the Spitzkoppe borehole water desalination plant and finance its operations as well as maintenance for an initial period of ten years.
Namwaste is a subsidiary of Rent‐A‐Drum and is part of the Séché Environnement Group.
-akaure@nepc.com.na