Toamasina: a project of processing household waste into compost

100 tonnes of waste processed per day, an annual compost production of 30.000 m3, 10.000 planted trees each year, creation of a thousand jobs in two years after the project started, these impressive figures reflect all the benefits that can be ripped off from the project “Gestion Durable et Planifiée des Déchets Ménagers” (Sustainable and Planned Management of household waste) of the city of Toamasina concerning the transformation of household waste into organic compost, initiated by the NGO “Nosy magnitry”.

According to the project’s initiator, R. Donatella, President of the NGO, the project fits into the clean development mechanism (MDP) as it tends to reduce emission of greenhouse gases in the city up to the equivalent of 60.000 tonnes of CO2 per year. And the recent signing of an agreement between the Administration of the city of Toamasina and the NGO will allow the start of the project as soon as possible.

Indeed, like in any other large cities, waste management in Toamasina represents a real challenge for the city’s officials. With its 500.000 inhabitants, the amount of household waste to be processed daily is not negligible. Moreover, in recent times, the climate in this region is likely to aggravate the situation with risk of epidemic outbreak, contamination of groundwater, and blocking up underground water channels through the city.