Dispose garbage properly!

Failure by the local authorities to collect refuse has resulted in urban dwellers dumping it at open sites as well as peri-urban areas causing pollution.

The solution lies in mobilising towns and cities towards building local Solid Waste Management Plans. These plans which include waste collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of municipal solid wastes are to be implemented at the municipal level.

A plan adopted from India’s Ministry of Environment (September 2000 “Municipal Solid Waste Management & Handling Rules) gives local Zimbabweans a blue print towards Sustainable waste management.

A State Pollution Control Board needs to be established whose sole responsibility is to:

1) Authorise the setting up waste processing and disposal facilities.

2) Monitor air and water quality and compost quality.

Further plans include:

Waste Segregation

“Municipal authority shall organize awareness programmes for segregation of wastes and shall encourage recycling / reuse of segregated materials.The municipal authority shall undertake phased programme to ensure community participation in waste segregation.”

Waste Collection:

To prohibit littering, municipal authorities should take the following steps:

Organise house to house collection of solid wastes. Devising collection of waste from slums and squatter areas and localities including hotels, restaurants, office complexes and commercial areas. Wastes from slaughter houses, meat and fish markets, fruits and vegetable markets, which are biodegradable in nature, shall be managed to make use of such wastes. Collected waste from residential areas shall be transferred by hand-driven containerized carts or other small vehicles.

Horticultural and construction or demolition wastes or debris shall be separately collected.

Waste garbage like dry leaves shall not be burnt.

Refuse truck