EDITORIAL: Authorities must act decisively to address Nairobi’s dumpsites

The smoke rising over Dandora is more than a haze in the morning sky—it is a stark warning of a public health crisis unfolding in plain sight.

For decades, Nairobi’s main dumpsite has carried the city’s overflowing waste, while thousands of residents and waste pickers live and work alongside rotting garbage, exposed daily to toxic fumes, heavy metals and the silent threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Children and adults sift through mountains of decomposing refuse for a livelihood, unaware that invisible hazards lurk in the soil, air and water.

The launch of AMELIORATE, a five-year One Health study by Kenyan and Danish research institutions, aims to fill critical knowledge gaps about chemical contamination and the spread of AMR. But data alone cannot save lives.

Authorities must act decisively.

Nairobi and other urban centres need a fully functional circular waste management system that safely collects, processes and disposes of solid waste.

Relocation plans for Dandora to Ruai must be implemented urgently, with infrastructure that protects both workers and surrounding communities.

Public health interventions—such as awareness campaigns, routine testing for heavy metal exposure and vaccination drives—must be integrated into waste management strategies.

The stakes extend beyond immediate health risks.

Contaminated dumpsites threaten food safety, pollute water sources and contribute to drug-resistant bacteria. Ignoring these hazards deepens poverty and perpetuates cycles of disease, undermining urban development and social equity.

Kenya cannot continue to treat dumpsites as invisible margins of the city. Protecting livelihoods, safeguarding public health and securing the environment are inseparable goals.

Authorities must act swiftly and decisively: the lives of thousands of waste-dependent families – and the broader health of our urban populations – depend on it.

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