Dumping of waste at Koshe landfill began in 1964, prior to that year, it was an unofficial site for burning dead animals. The landfill is located in Southwest Addis Ababa within the boundaries of Nifas Silk-Lafto and Kolfe Keranio. When Koshe became active, the surrounding area was sparsely populated and beyond the municipal master plan for Addis Ababa. Though, it was the only landfill in the capital city, few documented environmental studies were conducted or published for over 40 years.
