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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Manicaland Bureau

Mutare City council needs US$1 million for the establishment of a new solid waste landfill, which has been identified as a sustainable solution to the challenge of solid waste management.

The city’s dumpsite in Darlington has been condemned by the Environmental Management Agency and the local authority penalised for continuing to use it.

The move to use a landfill is part of the city’s Integrated Solid Waste Management plan which is being crafted in line with the National solid waste management plan.

Speaking at a Local Environment Action Plan (LEAP) review workshop in Mutare yesterday, Mutare City health services director Dr Anthony Mutara said the authority was taking a multi-stakeholder consultation approach to come up with ways of implementing the plan at minimum cost.

“For a city this big, we would need about US$1 million to come up with a standard solid waste landfill, but such funds will not be easy to come by,” he said. “This is why we are engaging partners who will come on board to assist with technical expertise to reduce the cost.”

An environmental impact assessment for the solid waste landfill site in Gimboki has already been carried out.

Dr Mutara said the five-year plan was part of the city’s long term initiatives towards a smart city and achieving a middle income economy by 2030.