EMA fines 170

Source: EMA fines 170 | The Herald November 12, 2019

Bulawayo Bureau
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has issued more than 170 tickets to offenders found either littering or using banned kaylites within two weeks of its anti-littering campaign.

EMA, on October 24, embarked on a national anti-littering campaign to promote cleanliness in the country during the rainy season.

In an interview yesterday, EMA national spokesperson Ms Amkela Sidange said the campaign sought to combat the outbreak of diseases during the rainy season associated with waste mismanagement.

She said two weeks into the campaign, the agency managed to carry out inspections in areas such as Harare, Beitbridge, Chinhoyi and Kadoma, with the exercise set to spread to the rest of the country.

Ms Sidange said the agency has issued tickets to 68 litterbugs and 104 people found using kaylites in those areas.
She said the campaign involved a prosecution exercise where anyone found throwing litter in an undesignated area will be fined.

Ms Sidange said the drastic measure seeks to remind members of the public that littering was an offence.
“Within two weeks of the operation in four cities we have issued tickets for fine to 68 offenders for littering, illegal dumping and throwing litter from moving vehicles,” she said.

“From the offenders, three were companies who were recorded under level five of defaulters and were fined $600.
“One of the companies was issued with an Environmental Protection Order which mandated it to a legal disposal site for dumping waste. Sixty-five offenders were individual defaulters who were fined from level one to level three. Level one defaulters pay a fine of $40 whereas those in level three pay $100.”

Ms Sidange said the inspection on use and distribution of kaylites ran parallel to the campaign, with Beitbridge recording more than 70 percent defaulters found using the product.