Conakry authorities shift waste management to Baritodé site

The government of Guinea closed the Dar-es-Salam landfill in the capital city of Conakry to improve urban sanitation.

This move followed years of using the saturated site, which had become dangerous and unable to handle the waste produced by residents and local markets. Authorities redirected waste to the Baritodé site, a transition that was already planned before a landslide occurred on September 2.

The shift to a more distant disposal site has increased transportation costs and extended travel times for waste trucks. Because trucks now perform fewer rotations per day, some waste is accumulating in illegal dumps and at transit points. The author of the report notes that while the closure was necessary, the current infrastructure and budget have not yet kept pace with the city's growing population and economic activity.

To address these challenges, the ministry is moving toward a global management model involving a private operator. This private partner will be responsible for transforming a portion of the waste, with 50 percent of the revenue returning to the state. The author argues that while this shifts risk to a private entity, local municipalities must still ensure residents pay their share of the costs.

The report estimates that managing the daily production of at least 3,000 tonnes of waste in Grand Conakry could cost approximately 19.8 billion GNF per month.