ARUA CITY I URN: Arua City Council has handed over management of a multi-million plastic recycling plant to a private investor after three years of underutilization. The plastic waste plant comprising machinery and solar power to run it, was set up in 2023 at a cost of 250 million shillings.
It was funded under Mayors Migration Council (Cities Alliance) to help growing Cities and Municipalities like Arua to manage the increasing plastic waste, ensure environmental sustainability and economically feasible waste management.
However, following its establishment at the compost site in Euata in Arua district, the machinery which is meant to wash, crush, dry and bale the plastic material for transportation and recycling in Kampala has been underutilized due to lack of man power to effectively manage it, leading to accumulation of the waste.
In a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the City Council and Wajukuu Africa, dealers in plastic waste, the private sector now fully takes over use, maintenance and operation of the machinery and also offers direct employment for locals within the area.
In addition to paying some revenue to the City Council, Wajukuu will also buy the plastic waste from private dealers, transport them and process them for recycling.
During the official handover of the machinery, Senior Environment officer in charge of Ayivu division and focal person for the Plastic management plant Mary Dawaru appealed to Wajukuu to maintain the core component of the project of incorporating urban refugees and migrants.
Meanwhile, Albert Aduvuku the Senior Assistant Secretary Arua City who represented the City Clerk urged the private investor to ensure that job opportunities are availed to the people in the City and also uphold the values of Public Private Partnership.
But Polly Ongom the Assistant RCC in charge of Ayivu Division cautioned the contractor to ensure that garbage does not over accumulate at the plant site.
Currently, Wajukuu Africa limited has mini plastic management sites in Koboko and Yumbe and Arua becomes the third and biggest plastic waste site, the company has been entrusted with to manage non-degradable waste.
Brian Kamugisha, the Director Wajukuu Africa limited pledged to ensure proper use of the machinery to reduce on the increasing burden of plastic waste in Arua City as well as provide jobs for the unemployed youths in the City.
Arua City, with day population of over 440,000 people and a garbage catchment area of 412 square kilometers, covering 54 Wards, 424 cells according to UBOS, generates approximately 250 tonnes of solid waste daily and about 90,000 tones annually. A kilogram of plastic waste currently goes for 500 shillings in Arua City.
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