Improving waste management to enhance the living heritage environment of the Old Town of Lamu

Waste disposal has been a key issue at the Lamu World Heritage Site, located on a small remote island with narrow streets and no proper sewerage and waste disposal system as it wasn’t needed at the time of construction of the historic town. Due to the lack of proper planning, people settled to disposing waste and effluent into the ocean.

In response, the County Government together with Lamu Museum allocated spots around the town for dumping of solid waste. Sewage systems were developed to channel waste into a main drainage. Additionally, youths were employed to support the daily street clean up. Also, they frequented on community empowerment regarding the importance of keeping the environment clean and on the effects of dumping on the ocean. Likewise, singe use plastic was banned, and fines set up for law breakers.

The flipflopi group designed a boat from plastic waste sailing around the villages to raise awareness on waste disposal as well as buying plastics from locals to recycle it.