Civil Engineering October 2022 | Vol 30 No 9

and plastic, is collected in very large bags that are rolled onto collection trucks. This recovered material is then transported to various areas in the GKMA where it is re-used. The waste diversion component of the project will potentially entail finding appropriate ways of using the organic resources as opposed to landfilling them. There are a host of potential landfill diver- sion solutions that still need to be assessed by JG Afrika, Resources & Waste Advisory Group and Cardno, ranging from home composting through to larger community- based or regional projects. As Emery notes, no two IWM projects are alike. They need to be adapted to the environment and the communities that they serve in order to be successful. Through this project, Uganda is also attempting to keep pace with the global trend of better managing residual mate- rials. “The landfilling of these materials is harmful to the environment and causes serious health problems. Many countries are thus at the cusp of ensuring that all organic waste is diverted from landfills. In South Africa, for example, the Western Cape Provincial Government aims to completely eliminate organic waste from its landfills by 2027. This is a very ambi- tious target that could be emulated in other areas of the country via novel IWM projects,” he says. One of the main challenges of the project will be determining how best to manage the potential socio-economic im- pact that the gradual closure of the Kiteezi Landfill will have on the many informal pickers. There are numerous scenarios that need to be thoroughly assessed, and they will all require careful and extensive planning before being implemented. One option is to keep the landfill site open to these communities until materials become too difficult to recover. The informal waste pickers will slowly find other means of sustaining themselves and the landfill can, therefore, be closed without any further socio-economic impact. Another option is to help the affected communities establish small businesses, such as roadside markets and stalls, to sustain themselves as the landfill site is gradually closed. FUNDING Timelines for the implementation of the IWM project are still uncertain. They are dependent upon the findings of the envi- ronmental and social impact assessments and the ability of the GKMA to finance the project, including the proposed development of a methane gas-to-energy plant as a potential project. However, the country has been very successful in attracting private and grant funding for projects to date. Through municipalities, this is also used to fund feasibility studies. The country already has many bankable projects that are attracting further private investors and grant funding. This project is especially enticing considering the significant demand for IWM in the city, with many private participants having already identi- fied an opportunity to become involved in providing essential services on behalf of the GKMA. The country also needs more renew- able energy to help meet its carbon reduction targets and it has a developing electricity distribution grid to support these projects. These are further factors that potential funders may find appealing. “I remain very impressed with the country, especially its wealth of academic knowledge, which includes an intimate understanding of international trends and technologies. This continues to shine through in my interactions with relevant stakeholders. I believe Uganda is poised for great things,” Emery concludes.  Civil Engineering October 2022 15