The proposed project is part of the national initiative to put a halt to open burning of waste, especially waste that contains chlorine compounds like PVC plastics. This is in accordance with the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), with a special focus on the whole of article 5 which calls for parties to take realistic measures to reduce or eliminate releases from unintentional production of POPs using best available techniques and best environmental practices. Ideally open burning or incinerating of solid waste should be avoided as much as possible, because among other adverse effects, the following constitute the main features of open burning in Nyeri an Kenya in general:

? Open burning of solid wastes creates smoke that is normally toxic and unhealthy to breathe, because the waste being burnt is never sorted. In addition, the burning is normally done in close proximity with the residential areas or places where people congregate.

? Wastes should be sorted prior to open burning or incineration to make sure that only appropriate combustible wastes are burned. Items such as lead-acid batteries, tires, PVC plastic pipe or materials, and anything that might explode when heated (such as aerosol cans) should not be burned . However, this is not the case in Nyeri.
Usually, glass or metal is present with the waste to be burned, and yet these items don?t burn well, and burning them is tantamount to resources down the drain


The project seeks to build capacity for the establishment of a zero waste programme in Nyeri municipality within Kenya?s central province and to run a pilot of the programme within the CYEC premises. The Nyeri zero waste Programme shall then serve as a pilot initiative to be replicated by hotel/restaurants, hospitals and households in an attempt to reduce the release of u-POPs into the environment through open burning of waste practices.

The project seeks to compliment government efforts in addressing issues of U-POPs as contained in the Kenya?s national implementation plan (NIP) of the Stockholm Convention. Kenya?s NIP prioritized the practice of open burning of municipal waste as an issue requiring urgent attention owing to its widespread occurrence in the country and the fact that studies have shown high levels of UPOPs (PCDD/F and PCBs especially) in organisms living around open burning hotspots.