20/10/2026
UNDP Lesotho, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the UN Environment Programme, is supporting efforts to strengthen Lesotho’s waste management systems through a Waste Characterisation Study and the development of an AI-powered household waste categorisation model.
The study’s findings are being validated with stakeholders to build a stronger evidence base for action. Among the key findings:
🔹 30% of Maseru’s waste consists of kitchen and canteen organic matter.
🔹 20–22% comprises plastic packaging.
🔹 Waste reclaimers recover approximately 10.14% of disposed waste at Tsosane dumpsite, with paper and cardboard accounting for the largest share of recovered materials.
So, what does this mean for Lesotho? Better data can help inform waste separation, recycling, composting, improved collection systems, and more effective disposal. It can also help identify opportunities to turn waste into an economic resource, while supporting the livelihoods of waste reclaimers.
With financial and technical support from the Government of Japan and UNEP, this work is also contributing to Lesotho’s Waste Management Information System (WMIS), strengthening the foundation for more data-driven decisions.
Because waste is not just an environmental challenge, it is an opportunity to build a cleaner environment, create livelihoods, and advance a circular economy.
Lesotho
