Constant Refuse Collection key to little free communicaties

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 Litter, rubbish or refuse - call it whatever you want. It's all unwanted, and we all want to rid our homes of it. Harare has been plagued by all sorts of diseases caused by poor hygiene as a result of poor water and sanitation conditions. Cholera, typhoid and malaria, we have seen it all. Harare's city centre reeks of foul gasess that are produced from heaps of rubbish that are left uncollected over a long period of time.

In highly populated suburbs, where people can not afford private waste removers, street corners have become littler dumping sites. Some of these places are on school walls, near roads and fresh food market places. This situation poses a health hazard to school children and all citizens alike.

This situation is common in all xities in Zimbabwe, and possibly Africa. Poor waste management results in a health crisis that mounts more problems for governments and donor agencies. City councils have a role to play in efficient waste management. In my location - refuse collection is done only once a month and this long period strains even the most abiding citizens who do not wish to dump their waste anywhere.

What I would think would work is if the following is done, we can have cleaner cities

- refuse collection must be done regularly. 

- install dustbin points at business areas and shopping centres.

- enforce environment protectkon laws and by-laws and penalise those who knowingly dump litter anyhow.

- citizenship education on home waste management and the 3Rs (reuse - recycle- reduce)

- Ban single use plastics, styrofoam, kaylite plastics and other useless plastic items.

- Encourage people to shun buying products of companies with no sustainability measures.

Well, there's more that can be done. I am not an expert on waste management and policy but as an environmentalist and global citizen i believe that we have to act and stop adding to the problem.

Image: Harare City refuse collectors.



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