POOR solid waste management practices have been a problem over the past few years causing not only an eyesore, but health hazards.
The failure by many people to properly manage solid waste by having proper consumer behaviour and the failure by local authorities to collect litter on time not only exacerbated poor solid waste management systems, but also created an illusion that a solution is impossible.
Residential and city business districts have been awash with illegal dumping sites as people resorted to disposing of their solid waste anyhow and anywhere.
Efforts by environmental stakeholders and such organisations as Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to create awareness and help clean up the cities have seemingly been fruitless.
The Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan which the country embarked on in 2011 still has not been implemented with validation workshops still being carried on how best to implement the plan and if it fits perfectly with Zimbabwe’s situation.
A baseline study was carried out by the Institute of Environmental Studies which revealed that the bulk of national waste is biodegradable waste constituting of 32 percent of total waste generated, 25 percent paper, 18 percent plastic seven percent metal, six percent textile, four percent medical waste among others.
Two consultative workshops have been carried out while community-based organisations have demonstrated potential in waste management through re-using and recycling waste under the theme ‘From Cash to Thrash.’
Organisations such as Miracle Missions, Environment Africa and others have also helped support people in this regard.
Speaking during yet another validation workshop, EMA’s director general, Mutsa Chasi said there is need to put in place sound waste management mechanisms agreeable to all Zimbabweans.
“As a country we need to address waste management challenges we are faced with so as to have sound waste management mechanisms that are agreed by all,” Chasi said.
“Improper waste management has been a challenge for us all because of the known negative environmental and health impacts it has.
“It has affected the nation in various ways through the contamination of underground and surface water, blocking storm drains, disease outbreaks and the creation of illegal waste dumps in street corners among others.
“The government of Zimbabwe has responded by making waste management one of the priority issues in Zim-ASSET.
“We have been proactive by steering the development of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan which we hope will go a long way in addressing some of the pertinent challenges with regards to solid waste management.
“The plan emphasises two concepts which are ‘Separation at Source and Cradle to Grave’ and calls for the involvement of waste generating entities in tracking waste generated by their products throughout their lifespan.
“Let us work together for a clean, safe and healthy environment in order to return the glamour and beauty of our country.”
Also speaking during the workshop, Professor Sara Feresu from the Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of Zimbabwe said the plan is on how Zimbabwe can manage its solid waste where everyone has a responsibility and is involved in solid waste management.
“It is high time people realise that they have a role to play in solid waste management starting in their households where they must separate wet waste from dry waste,” Prof Feresu said.
“Once the waste is separated at source the local authorities can then collect the waste to centres where the dry waste can be sorted and sold to recycling centers.
“We have seen that 90 percent of Zimbabwe’s waste can be re-used or recycled to make value added products such as pipes for irrigation purposes.
“We need to go back to the days when we used the brown recycled paper and not the white paper because there is less energy used in recycled paper than the white paper.”
Speaking to The Patriot on the objectives of the workshop, Mary Wazara owner of a local recycling company said there is need for government to create a market for the recycled products and reward local recycling companies.
“This plan is what we have been implementing as players but what needs to happen is for government to create a market for the locally recycled products because they are taking care of the solid waste produced locally,” Wazara said.
“There should be rebates and financial loans for the local companies that produce from solid waste found locally because it does not make sense for people to buy recycled bin liners from South Africa for instance because people are buying litter from there, but they have no idea where their own litter is going.”
Speaking on the same issue, Education and publicity manager for EMA, Steady Kangata said “there is just a few sprouting recycling companies and there needs to be more of them so as to satisfy the local demand of some of these recycled products.”
With many continuous efforts being made to address the poor solid waste management practices currently going on, it is only a matter of time before people’s attitudes towards the waste they generate can change so that the country can be ‘clean’ again.