Much of the construction waste can be recycled and used for other purposes (HELLORF)

Simba Ochieng, 39, is a real estate agent and developer based in Nairobi. In a short career spanning 15 years, he has built some well-known buildings in the Kenyan capital along with many houses. As a developer, he looks for the highest quality and affordability in construction materials and services. 

He owns all his developments and rents out his properties to prospective tenants. Any buildings from homes, shops, restaurants, hotels, commercial buildings are available, and, to improve efficiency, Ochieng has acquired the most recent Chinese construction technologies to build his properties.  

This technology recycles construction materials derived from construction waste, such as from demolished and renovated building as well as sourcing recycled materials from road construction waste. 

“Most of my properties are built from construction waste. It is very helpful [in respect of] cost saving as I have saved as much as 60 percent on construction costs as compared to other properties that I built with conventional materials,” said Ochieng.   

AI technology 

Many of the construction companies based in Kenya have built new waste disposal facilities. The facilities use some of the world’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) sorting technology. 

The procedure can identify the type of construction waste through composite sensors, and sort at least 12 categories of waste products. This will also depend on the nature and size of the materials, so that it can be used in a sustainable way. 

Leading construction and real estate companies in East Africa are using such technologies in waste management. This also cuts the costs of construction.

“The costs are lower, and it benefits both the company and the client. The construction sector is becoming competitive and so companies have to become innovative to survive,” said Manji Sethi, chairman of Landmark Holding Ltd. based in Nairobi. “We have an onsite waste recycling facility. The waste is crushed, filtered and processed to become recycled aggregate, which is then used as raw materials to produce bricks, mortar and concrete.” 

He said that at least 95 percent of the construction waste can be recycled, including plastics, glass, metals, wood waste and even cement, which is recycled and reused as high-quality products. 

Sethi explained that the technology they use came from China, and his company has partnered with China Communications Construction Co.   

Environmental protection  

Apart from cost saving, local environmentalists say that this initiative is protecting the environment. Dumping building waste into landfills and dump sites has contributed heavily to pollution of underground water and soil.  

Mamo Boru, director general of the National Environmental Management Authority, a government agency, said the waste is also often burnt, releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.  

“The waste is also a public health hazard, contributing greatly to the high incidences of lung diseases and complications associated with pregnancy,” Boru told ChinAfrica.  

Local studies done by the Kenya Medical Research Institute show that this kind of building waste disposal can contribute to slow cognitive development in children.  

“But this will be a thing of the past if we take recycling seriously. Now, many [construction] companies have their own recycling programmes, which is very encouraging for us,” said Boru. 

Phillip Mugo, senior manager at Oneki Co. Ltd., a company that owns vast numbers of real estate properties, rents out premises to prospective tenants in Nairobi and other large cities in Kenya.  

“Our buildings are constructed from recycled materials. They are of very high quality. The demand for housing is ever growing, [and there is a lot of] competition. So, we have to keep our customers happy,” said Mugo.  

According to him, even the interior finishings are recycled. “High quality tiles, glass [used in windows] and the metal finishing [such as those used in] staircase rails [are all recycled]. The only products that are not recycled are the mahogany cabinets in the kitchens, bedrooms and in restrooms,” said Mugo, adding that his company is planning to hire more workers as the business grows and housing demand rises.   

Revenue and job provider 

The city of Nairobi is planning to build one of Africa’s largest onsite recycling centres, specifically to recycle construction waste. With this initiative, the county government will sell the final products to the construction sector. Authorities will utilize Chinese technology and the project is awaiting financing from the Bank of China.  

“Apart from creating employment, it will go a great way towards protecting the environment and preventing the health hazards associated with construction waste. This initiative will also create revenue to the local government,” said Johnson Sakaja, newly elected governor of Nairobi City County. 

Already Chinese companies that specialise in construction waste management have their own recycling programmes, and these programmes come with an onsite recycling centre in different Kenyan cities such as Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru.  

There are about 30 Chinese companies that specialise in construction in Kenya, both roads and real estate.  

“As demand for housing continues to increase each day, so the need to recycle construction waste becomes [more] important, as most waste still continues to be dumped in landfills and, in some instances, in water bodies such as rivers, becoming an environment and health hazard to the population,” said Sakaja.  

The facility to be built by the county government will be the largest in East Africa according to the governor.  

“As the water problems in Nairobi continue to be a challenge, a lot of ground water is polluted and cannot be used for any domestic purposes,” he said.  

The construction industry is growing rapidly and has a bright future, according to Sakaja. With Chinese banks offering loans to many Kenyans looking to launch start-ups, Phillip Kariuki is one small scale businessman in Nairobi’s construction industry who has taken advantage of the offer.  

“I applied for a $48,900 loan with the Bank of China, and it was approved on May 25. I plan to collect waste from demolished buildings, renovated buildings and leftovers from construction works. I have budgeted for 13 employees for my start-up. The interest rates are friendly with just 3 percent repayment,” said Kariuki.  

Kenya has one of the highest waste recycling rates in the world. Many start-ups are introduced into the economy almost every day, according to Betty Maina, outgoing cabinet secretary of the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development.  

“We hope to improve even more. Local manufacturing has increased as we continue to recycle more. It’s a big contributor to economic growth. Borrowing foreign ideas has helped to shape the Kenyan development agenda. We hope to establish even bigger partnerships with China as our bilateral relations continue to improve,” said Maina, who hopes Kenya can become a leading recycling country in the future.