KENYA · GUIDE 0780 · EDITION 4.2
Compostable waste collection in Kenya: Operations and Quality Checks
Deliver the agreed result consistently
Define accepted compostable materials with the receiving facility, giving collection sites clear separation instructions and excluding unsuitable waste instead of assuming anything described as biodegradable belongs in the same processing stream at the destination site.
The operating sequence for this offer is:
- Agree the organic materials and conditions accepted by an identified receiving facility, checking collection and local requirements before offering a trial route to generators.
- Provide sealed suitable containers and explain source separation, rejecting contamination and unsuitable waste while recording cleaning intervals and storage limits that prevent nuisance.
- Document quantities and receiving-facility acceptance after each collection and record rejected material and complaints so customers understand the actual route rather than an unverified composting promise.
Put acceptance into the job record
The receiving operator accepts the separated material and storage does not create nuisance.
Follow a trial batch from source bin to receiver, checking contamination, container handling and facility acceptance before promoting a collection route whose output must genuinely fit the processor’s agreed operational requirements for its intended composting system.
Inspect at the point where a correction is still possible, then again at handover. Record rejected or incomplete output separately from accepted output. A completed task is not automatically an accepted task, and an invoice does not establish that the customer received the right result.
Measure real capacity
Time preparation, the main operation, transport, cleaning, approvals and correction as applicable. The slowest stage determines how much you can promise. Where two orders need the same person, space or equipment at the same time, resolve the conflict before confirming both deadlines. An additional enquiry should not erase a commitment already made.
| Operating checkpoint | Evidence for this business |
|---|---|
| Before starting | Define accepted compostable materials with the receiving facility, giving collection sites clear separation instructions and excluding unsuitable waste instead of assuming anything described as biodegradable belongs in the same processing stream at the destination site. |
| During delivery | Provide sealed suitable containers and explain source separation, rejecting contamination and unsuitable waste while recording cleaning intervals and storage limits that prevent nuisance. |
| At acceptance | Follow a trial batch from source bin to receiver, checking contamination, container handling and facility acceptance before promoting a collection route whose output must genuinely fit the processor’s agreed operational requirements for its intended composting system. |
| At the pilot review | Record source separation errors, weights or agreed quantity measures, collection intervals and receiver deductions, using the pilot to adjust instructions and frequency before accepting more customers whose waste the receiving facility may struggle to process. |
Keep a correction and escalation rule
When inputs, access, specifications or customer instructions change, pause the affected work and confirm the effect on time and cost. Do not quietly lower the acceptance standard to avoid a delayed delivery. Keep rework caused by your error distinct from a customer-requested change of scope and agree the remedy clearly.
A collection scheme loses its purpose when mixed packaging contaminates loads, source bins overflow between visits or the processor refuses material after the service has already collected and paid to transport it from participating premises.
Retain the minimum records needed to investigate a complaint without disclosing unrelated personal information. Use measured delivery and actual acceptance as the basis for expanding capacity, rather than the maximum theoretical output of a tool or production line.
Operating control points for this exact offer
| Sequence | Work method | Release checkpoint |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Obtain the receiving processor’s written accepted-material list, capacity, delivery times and rejection terms; verify applicable collection/transport requirements. | No customer is promised composting before a receiving route is agreed. |
| 2 | Train each kitchen using actual examples of accepted peelings and excluded plastic/food-contact packaging. Label its bin and log collection schedule. | “Compostable” packaging is excluded unless this processor expressly accepts that exact product. |
| 3 | At collection inspect contents without unsafe hand sorting; record kitchen, bin ID, gross/tare weight where measured and contamination. | Reject or isolate contaminated loads under agreed procedure; never hide them under clean material. |
| 4 | Close bins, contain leakage and follow the approved route directly to the receiver. Wash equipment using an appropriate contained method after emptying. | Record spills, odour complaints and missed rounds; no nuisance storage at home. |
| 5 | Obtain actual receiving weight/acceptance and reconcile each generator’s record. Report rejected quantities separately. | A collection receipt proves delivery, not finished compost or fertilizer safety. |
Do not substitute a tick for an observation: record the count, measurement, approved sample or evidence reference used at each checkpoint. Mark unresolved work as held and identify who can approve the recheck.
Diagnose a failure before repeating it
| Observed symptom to investigate | Check the cause | Proposed response |
|---|---|---|
| Processor rejects load | Compare contents with written accepted list | Follow the pre-agreed lawful alternative route and retrain source kitchen. |
| Bin attracts odour/pests | Check missed round, lid and storage interval | Correct collection/storage with the kitchen; stop service if conditions cannot be controlled. |
| Weights do not reconcile | Check bin tare and scales/receiver measurement basis | Correct records and label estimates rather than invent precision. |
These are diagnostic prompts, not proof of the cause in a real incident. Separate suspect output, record any correction and repeat the relevant acceptance check. Link rejected units, rework time, replacement materials, customer credits and collection delays to the actual job result.