Management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a major problem, especially in large cities in developing
countries (DCs) and the City of Windhoek in Namibia is no exception. The main contributing factors to the
problem are rapid population growth and economic advancement which increases the generation of solid waste.
Approximately 63% of the MSW in Windhoek is organic and its inadequate management could result in
enormous impacts on the environment, economy and health of the people. These include emission of greenhouse
gases (GHGs) e.g. methane which is known to contribute to climate change; pollution of soil, air and water;
public health impacts, and waste of usable resources. This study quantified the social, economic and
environmental benefits that can be derived from aerobic processing of the organic fraction of MSW (OFMSW)
in Windhoek. Data was gathered through literature review, interviews and observations. Results from this study
show that aerobic processing of OFMSW in Windhoek can successfully recover resources such as organic
fertilisers (20 000 tons/annum), reduce GHGs emissions (66%) and the volume of waste to be landfilled (62%).
It also has the potential to create employment for approximately 200 of the urban poor, and generate
approximately US$ 3 million in revenue annually. The study further highlights challenges such as lack of
business plans and source segregation of organics which need to be addressed to ensure success of composting
initiatives.