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By Joyce Mukucha
Following the ongoing National Clean-up Program and the nationwide blitz on poor waste management being conducted by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in partnership with the Zimbabwe Republic Police and local authorities, more than 500 people were arrested and prosecuted.
EMA Senior Environmental Education and Publicity Officer who is also the acting spokesperson, Liberty Mugadza confirmed that since Monday this week to date, more than 500 people have been prosecuted nationwide for committing poor waste management-related offences.
He said EMA was committed to making sure that recycling is promoted in various communities and highlighted that the blitz was in the spirit of cleaning the country and at the same time ensuring that everyone abides by the national aspirations to live in a clean nation.
“Over 500 people have been prosecuted. Also, about 400 institutions have been issued with orders to do certain redress activities to ensure that they are complying with the expectations to make sure that we prevent littering or prevent the pressure in terms of waste generation as well as waste disposal. That’s part of what has been done at the moment,” said Mugadza.
He said there was a need for people in different communities to abide by specific obligations to ensure that the accumulation of residual waste is curbed.
“As individuals, there are certain obligations we need to abide by to make sure that we don’t add additional waste, littering, and dumping which is prohibited. Therefore, we need not introduce additional waste.”
Mugadza highlighted that the national clean-up declaration was accompanied by certain sectors’ specific obligations which the President said must be done with those operating in those sectors.
“For instance, those in the transport sector have certain obligations to prevent littering, waste dumping, and accumulation along our roads and servitudes to make sure our road network is clean. Those who offer transport services are to make sure people do not litter through their windows. Road authorities have to make sure that there are waste collection facilities at various points so that those travelling can properly dispose of waste and to ensure that collection is organised.
“Those in industry and commerce who introduced commodities which end up as waste either through packaging material or after use are to ensure that there is an introductory end recovery mechanism to prevent accumulation of residual waste in the environment.”
He stressed that local authorities and communities are to put up grassroots structures that promote recycling.
“The grassroots structures are aimed at facilitating recycling including waste separation at homes, schools, and other institutions as well as to designate places where those who want to do recycling or establish waste transfer centres can accumulate their waste until it reaches a certain volume before transportation to recycling centres. All that is what is contained within the aspects of the national clean-up declaration.”
EMA is continuing to monitor, enforce the legislation, and also educate the nation on the importance of being good citizens who want cleanliness and who are responsible when handling waste.
“What we are promoting as EMA is recycling. We want our communities to become organised through their various structures be it at village, ward or cluster level, and those who live in different communities so that their waste can be separated at homes then it can be put on a specific central area where those who want materials for recycling can come and collect without spoilage,” he underscored.
Members of the public have been also urged to establish some small composts from the material that rots quickly and use it as manure or organic fertilizer at homes for gardens, lawns and put the papers, plastics, and other materials back to the industry to ensure smooth circulation of everything as well as making sure that natural and artificial recycling is not disturbed to avoid waste accumulation in the environment.
“Let us be responsible. Let us contact EMA for help, education, and capacity building so that together we build the Zimbabwe we want which is clean and gives us a clean environment for our good health.”
The National clean-up campaign is running under the theme, “My Environment My Responsibility.”