The City of Windhoek council has approved the construction of two recycling centres as part of the Improving Solid Waste Management in Windhoek initiative.  

The council made approval recently in the ordinary council for the two temporary waste buy-back centres for a pilot project over two years, funded by the European Commission as part of the initiative to improve solid waste management in Windhoek under the Windhoek-Bremen cooperation framework. 

According to the media release on the ordinary council resolution, the approved erven are Erf 10713, measuring 3 000 square metres, situated on the corner of Hans-Dietrich Genscher and Bondel streets in Katutura as well as Erf 3451, measuring  5 140 square metres, along Frankfurt street, opposite the Mamadu kindergarten.

“These erven were identified, as they are ideally located to service multiple suburbs, and they are connected via arterial roads for easy access to the centres,” said the City. 

The initiative was identified as a focus area in the City’s five-year strategic planning from 2022 to 2027. 

“The initiative will focus on capacity building for senior City of Windhoek administration officials in waste minimisation, recycling and the re-use of waste to improve basic services for underprivileged residents of Windhoek’s informal settlements, and waste reclamation and circular economy incubators. Six waste incubators will be identified and empowered for 12 months through the payment of monthly stipends to the incubators,” the City indicated. 

The programme will be established to enable young, unemployed residents to develop and test business models, geared towards the goal of creating a waste-free city, and increasing prosperity within the local population. 

According to the information provided, awareness-raising will be targeting school-going children through environmental education activities to be developed together with community-based groups.

- ljason@nepc.com.na