Ministry urges businesses to operate with litter bins

Source: Ministry urges businesses to operate with litter bins | The Herald

Cde Barbra Rwodzi

Precious Manomano

Herald Reporter

THE Government in collaboration with municipalities and law enforcement agencies will step up efforts to ensure cleanliness in the country in line with the vision 2030.

On 5 December 2018 President Mnangagwa launched the National Clean-Up Campaign but the exercise was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic-induced restrictions.

Speaking on the press conference on the  National Clean-Up Campaign Deputy Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Cde Barbra Rwodzi said all institutions including Local Authorities and businesses are reminded to operate with litter bins accessible by their customers.

Minister Rwodzi said they will step up efforts to ensure that all passenger public service vehicles have litter bins and such vehicles are reminded to ensure that they have litter bins to avoid their passengers throwing litter through the windows and if such should happen those operating such a vehicle will be fined.

Section 83 of the EMA Act on Prohibition against littering states that no person shall discard, dump or leave any litter on any land or water surface, street, road or site in or at any place except in a container provided for that purpose or at a place which has been specially designated, indicated, provided or set apart for such purpose and an owner of a transport conveyance shall ensure that no litter is thrown from his transport conveyance.

She said it was everyone’s duty to clean their surrounding areas, including working places, educational facilities, recreational and residential premises to effectively manage waste management.

“Comply with the law. Ladies and gentlemen it is not right for anyone to operate a business without litter bins, accessible by your customers. Be warned.

“No person shall discharge or dispose of any wastes, whether generated within or outside Zimbabwe, in such a manner as to cause pollution to the environment or ill health to any person and every person whose activities generate waste shall employ measures essential to minimise wastes through treatment, reclamation and recycling. “Every person or authority in control of or responsible for the maintenance of any place shall at all times ensure that containers or places are provided which will normally be adequate and suitable for the discarding of litter,” she said.

Government’s current thrust is therefore to rejuvenate it and continue to improve the state of cleanliness the cities and country in general.

The National Clean-Up Campaign’s focus is to transform our urban and rural environs into clean cities, towns, growth points, rural service centres, and indeed clean homes. The drive is inspired by the Constitutional mandate that affords every citizen the right to a clean, safe and healthy environment.

She also said and general uncleanliness are the cause of concern and pose serious health risks such as cholera and typhoid.

She urges the city councils to go beyond the collection and dumping adding that dump sites must be transformed into properly constructed landfills, created in line with the prescribed EMA standards.

Harare’s Environmental Management Unit head Mr Lisben Chipfunde said they are on the drive working to ensure that the city centre has adequate bins.

“As a city we are on a drive to work with corporates to install more waste bins in the central business district and we are also waiting for the approval of our budget from the Ministry of Local Government,” he said.

Local Authorities are also urged to promote and facilitate waste recycling by companies, youth, women and community groups by providing the necessary support.

In 2019, the global waste recycling services market was valued at US$53,71 billion. The market is expected to grow considerably in the coming years as consumer awareness about the environmental impacts of waste increases.