Initiative Assainir Kinshasa

Pool everyone's efforts to address an environmental emergency and transform sanitation into a driver of sustainable development.

ACTUAL SITUATION

DRC's waste emissions exceed those of 117 countries, including industrial powers such as Spain, Algeria, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Qatar, Belgium, Singapore, etc.

With nearly 200 MtCO2 per year, waste represents 23% of DRC's emissions, ten times more than industrial sectors (mining, cement, etc.) and constitutes the second largest emitter after deforestation.

Indeed, more than 90% of waste is burned in the open air or dumped into nature without treatment. In 2023, Kinshasa had the world's worst air quality and the DRC would be the world's second largest producer of plastic waste.

5M Tons

Solid Household Waste

2.4M Tonnes

Wastewater and Fecal Sludge

85%

Informal Collectors

95%

Unmanaged Waste

Engineered Landfill sites

$300M

Informal financial flow

Transfer Stations

Wastewater treatment Facilities

Our Mission

Transform waste into a driver of inclusive green growth

Moving from informality and mismanagement of 95% of Kinshasa's municipal solid waste to establish formalized and inclusive green economy value chains for sanitation can constitute economic infrastructure supporting sustainable urban development

Endorsed by the City and bringing together all key actors in the sanitation sector.

Federates actors, pools initiatives and creates public-private synergies.

Business-oriented, it aims at job creation and economic growth.

Structuring process providing Kinshasa with a viable and attractive business plan.

Improves local governance and supports municipalities for effective partnerships.

Supported by public and private sectors: Sponsors, embassies, government, operators.

A voluntary partnership led by the city of Kinshasa, sponsored by the Embassy of the Netherlands and UN Global Compact

The Assainir Kinshasa initiative was born from the commitment of the Embassy of the Netherlands and UN Global Compact, expressed during Clean Up Day in September 2024, to mobilize the private sector to support the Governor of Kinshasa, Mr. Daniel Bumba Lubaki, in implementing his urban sanitation policy. This involves implementing an integrated system for the management and treatment of urban waste, ranging from collection to recovery in the form of energy, fertilizers, or eco-friendly paving stones

Supported by the Embassy of the Netherlands

Partnership with the United Nations Global Compact

Launched during Clean Up Day 2024

Priority economic sectors for waste in Kinshasa

Formalizing the management of Kinshasa's 5 million tons of solid waste into green value chains around five high-potential economic sectors can generate 2 billion USD in annual revenue and more than 150,000 jobs in the formal economy

Digital Payments

300M USD from primary collection paid to the informal sector

Clean Cooking

400M USD biogas from organic waste

Compost

80,000 ha bio fertilization and slash-and-burn agriculture avoidance

Electricity

50M USD electricity from pyrolysis of medical waste, etc.

Plastic

370M USD recycling, paving stones, pellets, fuel

Carbon Credits

500M USD clean cooking, deforestation, plastic credits, green energy