Malawi finds innovative solutions to tackle chemicals and waste management

Malawi is currently facing challenges related to the poor management of chemicals and waste, which is adversely impacting human health and the environment. Nearly all cities in Malawi lack adequate waste collection, treatment, and disposal facilities. This puts people’s health at risk while contaminating the water bodies and land they depend upon.

The current annual waste generation for Lilongwe, the largest city in Malawi, is 553 tons a day – equivalent to 553,000 garbage bags weighing 10 kilograms (KG) each and for Blantyre, the second-largest city, the annual waste generation is 435 tons per day, equivalent to 435,000 garbage bags weighing 10 kg each. Roughly 72 per cent of this, and all waste in the country, finds its way to open dumpsites or is burnt.