Supporting waste management in Beach Management Units
The Lamu Archipelago is made up of over 60 islands and is a hotspot for biodiversity. However, these unique islands are under threat from urbanisation, climate change, and more notably the growing volume of plastic pollution, particularly in Lamu East, a remote area of the archipelago. Abandoned fishing gear damages crucial seagrass beds and coral reefs, and mismanaged plastic waste blocks mangrove tidal channels, causing trees to die. Additionally, the community of Lamu East is left vulnerable due to reduced fish stocks, the ingestion of microplastics through seafood and increasing poverty.
The project supports the Lamu East community of around 22,000 people, by using cash-based incentives for plastics recovery with funds flowing directly to households, with measures in place to ensure gender equality and social inclusion. For example, the project is working to ensure that more than half its plastic waste collectors are women. At the same time, female voices are supported in decision-making processes, ensuring that the resulting benefits reach women and girls.
Beach Management Units (BMUs) will be supported to become plastic recovery and transit stations integrated into a circular waste management model. As well as improving livelihoods and generating income for deprived fishery-dependent communities, the project is supporting BMUs to fulfil their government-mandated role in enforcing marine conservation regulation.
