Antananarivo transports hundreds of tons of waste daily to Andralanitra

The Société municipale d’hygiène (SMA) transports between 400 and 500 tonnes of solid waste every day from Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, to the Andralanitra landfill.

The agency manages this logistics operation using 23 trucks per day to clear waste from the city. The waste management efforts are part of the Gesda project, which the Japanese government funded through the Agence japonaise de coopération internationale (JICA).

This initiative provides equipment to improve transport capabilities and offers technical cooperation to refine waste management methods. Since 2022, the project has collected over 182,000 tonnes of waste and coordinated more than 40,000 truck rotations. The SMA currently covers 69% of waste collection points in the capital. Collection frequency depends on local waste volume, with busy markets and popular neighborhoods receiving pickups once or twice a day.

In areas with lower waste production, the agency may collect waste every three days. The Gesda project also aims to improve waste sorting at the source and management at the Andralanitra site. By separating biodegradable materials from non-biodegradable waste, the SMA plans to produce compost and recycle plastics. Officials say that household participation remains vital to the system, as residents must follow deposit schedules and sorting practices to reduce illegal dumping.