Africa Economy Podcast Podcast

Guinea professionalizes waste management in Conakry

How to make clean the capital of Guinea? Anasp, the National Agency for Sanitation and Public Health has professionalized since this year the management of solid waste in the city of Conakry. A 10 year strategy. A first waste collection center is under construction in the most populated municipality.

It is near the Kakimbo bridge in Ratoma commune that a waste collection and sorting center is being built. It is the third and penultimate link in the chain of their management, according to the plan set up by the National Agency for Sanitation and Public Health . " This scheme aims to put synergy at the level of all links private actors. That is, the pre-collection provided by SMEs [Small and Medium Enterprises], the collection, transfer, landfill and treatment of the landfill by private actors, "says Sory Camara , general manager of Anasp.

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As everywhere, the inhabitants of Conakry produce different kinds of waste. At this stage, the reflection on their valorization is still in its infancy. The collection and sorting point of Kakimbo and the other centers that will be built next in Conakry, with the sole purpose of separating the waste. " Much more in-depth studies will be needed to assess the economic and financial opportunities of the different possible valuations of waste, because it is the market that dictates the economic and financial opportunity; to whom can we sell these plastics and what can be the use, "says Alexander Serre, in charge of sanitation at the Delegation of the European Union in Guinea.

Types of waste to be valorized

Aware of informal valuation systems in Conakry, he makes projections. " It is estimated that a maximum of 10% of the recovery of waste, mainly scrap metal - scrap metal, which has a very important added value - there is, in a very minor way, a valuation of certain plastics. But it's still very informal and very much in the minority. "

Valuation in the medium term is organic waste, says Sory Camara. " The landfill will be located in Coyah. It will be a modern center. At first, we will develop 50 hectares to receive the waste of Conakry, Coyah and Dubréka. When there is going to be landfill, there will be the gas that will be recovered and the energy will be produced from this landfill. "

The large Conakry waste dump is to be closed within 3 to 4 years, according to the Anasp general manager. Instead, a 100 hectare technical landfill should be built, with sustainable processing and organic waste recovery.

► See also: Landfill of a landfill in Guinea: government laxity pointed the finger