Why the concern?
Waste management has become one of the major environmental challenges that the country is facing. Thousands of tonnes of solid waste are generated daily in the country and estimates show that in the year 2011, urban centres in Zimbabwe generated 1,65 million tonnes of waste. Most of this waste ends up as litter and on open illegal dumps, in wetlands contaminating surface and ground water and posing major health hazards.

This has greatly exposed the general public to disease outbreaks and epidemics recorded in recent years. The growing volume of solid waste generated by shops is a cause for concern as it has led to the loss of aesthetic beauty of our towns and cities, blockages of storm drains, odours and has provided breeding ground for disease-causing vectors.

What is solid waste?
Waste is anything thrown away as unwanted material, it includes domestic, commercial or industrial material which is discharged, emitted or deposited into the environment in such volume, composition or manner as to cause pollution. Waste generated by shops includes plastic packaging, plastic bottles, kaylites and food leftovers, cans, bottles and cardboard boxes.

What are the problems resulting from solid waste?
Accumulated waste is an eyesore/ unsightly;

Decomposition of the waste produces odours

The stinky sites provide breeding grounds for vectors and flies leading to disease outbreaks such as cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea and dysentery

When it rains, the solid waste is swept into drains, resulting in blockages and pipe bursts

Animals who have become accustomed to eating food leftovers at dump sites become a nuisance to shop owners and residents in that area.

What is my role as a shop owner?

In Zimbabwe the current system of waste management practices concentrates on collection and disposal with very little attention paid to controlling generation. If waste could be diverted for material and resource recovery, then a substantial reduction in final volumes of waste could be achieved and the recovered material and resources could be utilised to generate revenue. The reduction of generation rates, reuse and recycle principle involves everyone’s participation and forms the premise for the Integrated Solid Waste Management System. The shop owner has a duty to:

Provide adequate bins for use by customers

Sell re-usable bags rather than thin plastics

Ensure that he/she reduces waste generation at his/her enterprise

Desist from dumping waste

Compost food leftovers where possible or sell to piggeries and pet owners

Practise the three Rs which are Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle waste

Ensure that refuse containers do not overflow because exposed waste ends up as litter in the street

‘‘Adopt’’ a street and hold regular clean-ups;

Report areas where people have illegally dumped garbage and debris to the nearest EMA office, local authority and ZRP in my area and ask that the material be removed; and

What are the benefits of managing waste?
There are various advantages that a shop owner can benefit from when they manage their waste properly, such as a healthy environment free from diseases; income generated from selling waste. Shop owners can save money by not incurring unnecessary costs for example buying pesticides; clean shopping centres attract customers allowing you to profiteer in a clean environ- ment.

What does the law say?
No person shall discard, dump, or leave litter at any place except in a container provided for that purpose or at a place that has been designated for such a purpose.

Every person or authority in control or responsible for the maintenance of any place shall at all times ensure that he/she provides adequate bins for the discarding of litter.

It is illegal to manufacture plastic packaging with a wall thickness of less than 30 micrometres for the use within Zimbabwe, commercial distribution or importation unless it is bread packaging; clingy film or it is biodegradable plastic packag- ing.

 Please talk to us, we are always ready to listen. Email: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> or 04 305543/Toll-free 08080028, sms/wWhatsApp 0779 777 094, Like our Facebook page: Environmental Management Agency or follow us on Twitter @EMAeep.

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