Ethiopia s revolutionary step in recycling has moved one step further as the country becomes the first sub-Saharan nation to lay out an ambitious plan to build what is called waste to energy facility.

The facility is to be located around Repi, where most of solid waste from the capital is dumped.  The facility to be built will recycle solid waste and generates 50MW of electric power which will boost the country?s electric power supply.

According to Ethiopian electric power corporation s (EEPCo) data, there are 35 more cities with waste to energy facility potential and the government is planning to expand its plans to build similar facilities in these cities.

The facility will cost 120mn US dollars and the British industrial firm called Cambridge industries limited will be in charge of the construction of the facility.

As the problem of managing solid waste gets difficult each year because of the an increasing dumping, the waste to energy facility will play a vital role in reducing environmental pollution and generating clean power for the general public.

The facility is also expected to create thousands of jobs for many unemployed citizens once it becomes fully operational. Unemployed folks can engage in gathering, collecting, and supplying solid waste for the facility which could be a good source of income.

 The importance of building such facilities is unquestionable especially here in Africa where solid waste management is still a new phenomenon. Hence, as Ethiopia strives to expand these facilities to other cities, other African nations must also follow the same trend to revolutionize recycling for the good of their people.