Partners launch waste management initiative in Glen View Hardlife Mudzingwa

Precious Manomano Herald Reporter

 

Three partners have rolled out a sustainable community waste management initiative in Glen View, a high density suburb on the western side of the city to promote cleanliness and sustainable waste management model.

 

The initiative that is aimed at ensuring an all-time clean environment in Glen view was being done under a joint initiative between Community Water Alliance (CWA), City of Harare and the United Nations Development Programme.

 

CWA coordinator Hardlife Mudzingwa told the Herald on Thursday that the initiative sought to pilot a different model of waste management in urban areas.

 

“In the past we have heard the collect, transport and throw away approach to waste which has been used by local authorities since independence. This initiative we are piloting is meant to inculcate a reduce, reuse and recycle approach at community level,” he said.

 

“We need to add value to waste and at the same time there is a need to improve health standards and environmental conditions under which our people live.”

 

Waste management in both urban and the rapidly urbanising rural areas has become a major public health and environmental concern in Zimbabwe with municipalities and local authorities struggling to manage garbage.

 

Government and other development partners were exploring various strategies to inculcate a culture of cleanliness within communities.

 

Mudzingwa said the ultimate goal of this initiative was zero tolerance to litter and to make sure that society lived in healthier environments.

 

“There are benefits that are associated with this initiative including reduction of costs that are associated with the collection of waste to Pomona as it was done in the past. Moreover, the amount of waste generated will be reduced while at the same time creating employment for women who will be operating at the waste collection site,” he said.

 

“Glen view is a cholera hotspot area and part of the problems are happening because of a combination of lack of water and proper sanitation and hygiene as well as non-collection of refuse.”

 

The model uses a material recovery centre (MRC) which was built to receive, sort, process and store recyclable materials which will then be shipped to end-users.

 

It seeks to promote waste source separation at the household level.

 

In addition, the initiative aims to engage communities on the importance of proper waste management and support all Government-led initiatives to promote environmental awareness and discourage littering activities by the public.

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