The Enterprise of Waste management among urban youth for sustainable development in Kenya

Abstract

Sustainable development requires well-planned cities as centers of creativity, innovation and enterprise.  There is need to develop strategies that integrate urban, sub-urban, peri-urban and rural areas while also addressing social, economic and environmental pillars of sustainable development in Africa, where sustainable urban development can serve as one of those strategies.  Sustainability refers to a long-term commitment to economic prosperity, community well-being and environmental integrity. Sustainable waste management ensures reduction in greenhouse gases, extraction of fuel from waste, diversification of energy sources for energy security and expansion of renewable energy resources, among others.  The increasing levels of urbanization have not been in tandem with waste management, yet, waste generation is expected to increase significantly due to rising industrialization, urbanization, expansion of modern agriculture and rapid growth in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), with very high turn-over in technology. The result is widening negative impacts on the environment (degradation and depletion of natural resources, climate change as well as development pressure on green spaces).  In response, policy makers and development partners have shifted focus to improving quality of all urban ecosystems to provide healthy and sustainable environment for both natural system and urban communities.  Protecting human and environmental health, maintaining healthy ecosystems, eliminating environmental pollution and providing green spaces in cities are some of efforts made to improve ecological sustainability of cities. Waste management sector in cities involves local communities and business, including Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) engaged in  reuse of products, collection and transportation, brockerage of wastes, sorting and storing, disposal through landfill, disposal through incineration, treatment of waste, process of recycle, composting and energy recovery.  This is a review Article dealing with waste management policies and regulation together with practices in Kenya, actors in waste management, trends and emerging issues.  Recommendations have been made on how the youth can be engaged and take up the emerging opportunities for enterprise development.