City Waste Management Agency Earns 52 Mn Birr from Recycled Solid Waste

Addis Ababa January 16/2021 (ENA) Addis Ababa Solid Waste Management Agency disclosed that it has earned 52 million Birr from recycled solid waste in six months.

Addis Ababa Solid Waste Management Agency Director-General, Eshetu Lema told ENA that collecting solid wastes in the capital city is becoming a source of revenue and employment.

According to him, the agency has employed over one thousand youth to convert solid waste into compost and recycle plastics, generating 52 million Birr revenue within six months of this Ethiopian Fiscal Year.

More than 1,000 youth engaged in the sector have benefited from the work.

An average of at least 2,500 tons of waste is collected from the city every day and 80 percent of the waste can be used if industrial waste is used as industrial input, it was learned.

Solid waste could endanger health and life if it is not properly collected and converted into an asset, the director-general pointed out.

Making the capital city beautiful and clean cannot be achieved by just one institution, he further observed, urging religious leaders and celebrities to play a role part in beautifying the city and residents to  clean up the environment on daily basis.

Addis Ababa City Youth Volunteer Coordination Office Head, Abraham Tadesse said the youth engages in cleaning as this is one of the voluntary activities.

He revealed that 28,162 persons were recently trained in integrated urban beautification, green development, urban agriculture, solid waste collection and other sectors.

Out of the 28,162 jobs created, 53.3 percent are women and 5 million square meters of land and over 1 billion Birr budget have been allocated by the administration.