Stories
April 11, 2025 • 2 min read
This week in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Irish Minister Neale Richmond visited a GOAL-led sanitation project turning waste into fuel. The GOAL-led sanitation plant, funded by Irish Aid, uses innovative geobag technology to convert sludge into clean fuel, improving health, protecting the environment, and offering a model for sustainable urban development. This powerful transformation means that waste is no longer a hazard to everyday health, but a resource.
A Visit of Purpose
This week, Ireland’s Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond, visited Freetown, Sierra Leone, where he witnessed first-hand a transformative solution to one of the city’s most pressing challenges, sanitation. The visit focused on a pioneering Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) plant, implemented by GOAL in partnership with the Freetown City Council funded by UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Irish Aid funding the operation.
Addressing a Crisis
Freetown’s rapid urbanisation has led to a population density exceeding 10,000 people per square kilometre in some areas. Yet, only about 40% of the population has access to waste collection services, and over 60% lack access to improved sanitation. The consequences are severe: environmental degradation, widespread pollution, and major public health risks. The FSM plant was developed in direct response to this crisis. It introduces the region’s first use of geobag dewatering technology, which turns liquid sludge into usable solid materials, redefining how waste is managed in Freetown.
The project is delivered in coordination with GOAL’s Water-Share Ireland programme, which plays a pivotal role in supporting the success of these initiatives. Water-Share Ireland members provide critical technical inputs, including engineering expertise, infrastructure planning, and technical training to ensure the long-term sustainability of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programmes in Sierra Leone.
Innovation in Action
Minister Richmond toured the facility, observing a live demonstration that starkly contrasted current unsanitary disposal methods with the plant’s efficient processes. The plant treats an average of 312 vacuum trucks of sludge each month, separating solid waste from liquids. The solid material is then transformed into eco-friendly compost fertiliser, household biogas, and sustainable briquettes—an alternative cooking fuel that reduces dependence on wood and charcoal.
GOAL Sierra Leone’s Country Director, James Riak, guided the Minister through the facility, highlighting its role in improving health outcomes, reducing environmental impact, and supporting climate resilience.
A Model for the Future
Minister Richmond praised the project as a “replicable model” for other cities and countries facing similar waste management challenges. He reaffirmed Ireland’s long-standing partnership with GOAL, dating back to the 1960s and announced €170,000 in additional funding to ensure the continued success of the FSM plant. 
Transforming Lives and Environments
The visit concluded with a demonstration of how briquettes are used in everyday cooking, underscoring the socioeconomic benefits of the initiative. Beyond improving sanitation, the project is helping to build a cleaner, greener Freetown, one that harnesses waste as a resource and turns challenges into opportunities for sustainable development.
