By: Trokon Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
Monrovia – Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a Solid Waste Management transformative project at Jorkpen’s Town market in Sinkor, Monrovia Liberia.
Speaking at the occasion, the Pilot lead, Mrs. Vermon Sangah Lloyd explained that the pilot is not just a program, but a movement to reimagine waste as a resource to restore dignity to our communities and to reignite local ownership to manage our environment.
According to her, the pilot implemented under the MRC Climate Action umbrella led collaboratively by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Monrovia City Corporation with support from the Liberia Marketing Association community- based Enterprise and the community leadership in catchment areas acknowledging the Government of Canada through Nova sphere for the support and vision of a sustainable Liberia in years to come.
Mrs Lloyd further explained that through the guidance of her core- lead a waste management specialist Mr. Christopher Godlove from Brussels, they have undertaken a hands-on approach to laying a long- term climate smart waste solution foundation in Liberia.
She however noted that Monrovia being the Capital city generates about 800 tons of Solid Waste daily but only 45% of that is properly collected and the rest piles up in our streets, waterways and informal dump sites thus damaging health, ecosystem and livelihoods.
The pilot lead labeled waste crisis as a clear and pressing challenge but also an opportunity highlighting our organic waste baseline study conducted across four major markets in Monrovia including; old road, Fiamah, Rally town and West Point revealed that each of these markets generates an average of 89.3kg of organic wastes daily mostly leafy greens (83.3%), fruits (10.8%) and vegetable (5.1%).
Highlighting the project achievements since its introduction, Madam Lloyd announced the identification of five stakeholders ( EPA, MCC, LMA, CBEs and the local Communities to coordinate, manage and monitor the implementation, facilitated a knowledge exchange visit to Tanzania for Stakeholders hosted by Nipe Fagio to learn practical composting methods adaptable to Monrovia, Trained and Certified four (4) CBEs who will collect and transport organic waste to composting facility at Jorkpen’s Town Market, Completed an organic waste baseline study equipping is with vital data to guide implementation, Completed community mapping, identified collection points and ensured the inclusive coverage of households and vendors and established a Solid waste coordination committee (SWCC) chaired by the EPA and co- chaired by MCC to track progress and tackle challenges amongst others.
The composting site Launch according to Mrs. Lloyd is more than just a facility but a demonstration of action, an example of what happens when data meets vision, when community meets commitment and when waste becomes worth adding that the pilot will divert wastes from landfills, cuts down methane emissions, supports cleaner markets l, creates green jobs and produce composts that will enrich Urban and Peri- Urban farming.
