Five garbage collectors have filed a case against Nairobi County Government over the Dandora dumpsite.
The petitioners who have filed on behalf of over 1000 waste packers say that the county is tasked with the responsibility of remediating and managing municipal solid waste at the Dandora dumpsite and when it fails then it is liable to environmental compensation for improper management which they claim is a serious violation of the rights of citizens.
They say that they sustain cuts from glasses at the dumpsite and have to live with the pain of the wounds.
In the court papers, the waste pickers at the Dandora site argue that they have no personal protective equipment which exposes them to toxins such as lead and mercury.
“As a result of being exposed to toxins from burning plastic some of the common ailments have been established amongst them,” reads court papers.
It is their argument that the consequences of the pollution are irreversible and risky and yet the county ignores them blaming the county for not putting up a framework to ensure their work environment is sound.
They now want the court to order Nairobi County to get funds for rehabilitation and to restore the Dandora dumpsite. They are also seeking general damages.
