Nairobi County could soon have a central facility for treating medical and hazardous waste under a proposed private partnership that would see an investor build and operate a plant capable of handling up to 80 tonnes of waste each day.
The facility, proposed by US-based Satarem America Inc., would start with the ability to treat between 60 and 80 tonnes daily before increasing its capacity to 100 tonnes. The plan is part of efforts by the county to improve the handling of waste generated by health facilities across Nairobi.
According to a public disclosure issued by the Nairobi City County Government on September 24, the city produces an estimated 30 to 40 tonnes of medical and hazardous waste every day.
The waste is currently handled across Nairobi’s 17 sub-counties, with the county now considering a larger facility that would bring treatment services together and provide a dedicated system for dealing with potentially dangerous waste.
Satarem America, a clean energy and environmental engineering company incorporated in Delaware, submitted the proposal to the county on November 10, 2025.
“Nairobi City County Government (NCCG) is committed to safe, sustainable, EMCA-and WHO-compliant management of medical and hazardous waste from public, private and faith-based health facilities in the County,” the county said.
The proposed project would be carried out through a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT)/Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) arrangement.
Under the plan, Satarem America would finance and construct the facility before taking charge of its operations and maintenance for 10 years. At the end of the partnership, the company would transfer the facility to Nairobi County at no cost, subject to the Public Private Partnerships Act, 2021.
The plant would be fitted with a range of treatment systems. These would include areas for receiving and sorting waste, autoclave sterilisation, high-temperature pyrolytic combustion, wastewater treatment and ash stabilisation.
A solar-grid hybrid system would provide power, while flue-gas treatment technology would be used to control emissions from the facility.
The county said the project would have to meet environmental and health standards set under the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA) and World Health Organisation guidelines.
Once operational, the facility is expected to cater for more than 135 public health facilities managed by Nairobi County. Private and faith-based hospitals in Nairobi and neighbouring counties would also be able to access its services through subscriptions.
The project is also expected to generate 300 direct jobs and about 600 indirect jobs, while creating opportunities for local skills transfer.
Satarem America has additionally proposed donating solar power systems to selected health facilities as part of its corporate social responsibility programme. The proposed donations would, however, require approval.
The county said the proposal will not proceed directly to construction, as it must first pass through the full PPP process. This will involve evaluation, project development, negotiations, stakeholder engagement and the required approvals.
The proposed facility comes against the backdrop of Nairobi’s wider waste disposal challenges, including increasing pressure on the Dandora dumpsite, which receives domestic and commercial waste from the city.