Monrovia’s worsening garbage problem took a major turn recently when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) and partners commissioned an organic composting facility in Fiamah.
The Fiamah facility, according to a release, is an intervention official says, “will cut landfill pressure, reduce disease risks, and turn organic waste into a valuable product for farming.” Backed with technical and financial support from the international community, particularly the Government of Canada through the MRV for Climate Action Project in Liberia, the new plant is designed to help the city transition from open dumping to organized waste recovery and recycling.
EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel Yarkpawolo, described the facility as more than an infrastructure addition.
Yarkpawolo called the facility a proof that Liberia can adopt practical systems that protect the environment while creating economic benefits.
“Today is not just about opening a facility; it’s about validating a new model.”
He said, the EPA’s technical oversight and regulatory guidance helped shape an approach that is environmentally sound and workable.
Yarkpawolo meanwhile, assured residents that the EPA and partners are preparing additional initiatives to increase the share of municipal waste that is recycled rather than discarded.
MCC Mayor John-Charuk Siafa, whose administration has prioritized sanitation reforms, told community members the plant strengthens the city’s capacity to respond to waste as a public health concern.
The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC), which provided the land for the facility, also underscored the importance of inter-agency cooperation in delivering results.
LWSC Deputy Managing Director for Administration T. Wilson Gaye said, the institution did not hesitate to make space available, described the project as vital to improved city services and environmental protection.