Improving waste management in Antananarivo

The Andralanitra landfill is the only landfill of the Urban Community of Antananarivo (CUA). It is located about 10 km away from the city center and covers an area of 18 hectares, i.e. 5 km more than the authorized limit. Every day, between 350 and 550 tons of waste pile up there, with no containment or water treatment system.

This situation creates serious pollution problems. The waste contaminates water and land, while the odours, toxic gases and outbreaks of insect pests make living conditions unpleasant for residents. A number of poor families scrape a living from the landfill by recovering waste or producing compost. These informal activities take place in extremely difficult sanitary conditions. CUA plans to develop a new landfill 30 km from Antananarivo. In the meantime, the Andralanitra landfill needs to be secured and reorganized.

The program to secure the Andralanitra landfill aims to improve operating conditions at the landfill and limit disturbances to neighboring populations. This program is financed by AFD via a EUR 2m grant to the Government of Madagascar reallocated to CUA. CUA is also contributing EUR 100,000 of financing to the program. There are three objectives:

• Combat the pollution caused by the landfill: this involves covering the holes in order to limit leachate generation (polluted juices) and develop a drinking water network for surrounding areas;
• Improve the collection and exploitation of the landfill by neighboring communities;
• Prepare the closing down of the landfill: this component involves regulating the activity of ragpickers and implementing a reconversion plan for communities whose livelihoods depend on the exploitation of the landfill.

• Reduction of the pollution caused by the Andralanitra landfill; Improvement in living conditions for some 800 neighboring families;
• Access to drinking water for surrounding villages;
• Contribution to sustainable waste management in Antananarivo.