Waste management project
- 1. Waste managementplan Introduction Various clean up campaigns have been conducted around the country’s urban suburbs but it seems they have failed to fight the continuous mounting waste garbage. Illegal dumping have become a seriouschallengeinurbancitiesandtownsinZimbabwe,garbageisseenpillinguponorbesidestreets corners, main roads, streets lights, tunnels and at designated bus terminuses causing abnormal functionsof the infrastructure.Moststreetcornershave of late become dumping places.Even shops inurban areashave no propergarbage disposal mechanismthathasseenwaste pillingupatthe back the shops thus posing danger to both environment and the people around. Dogs and other people scavenge the rubbish heapfor some valuable items while rodents and snakes have made the places their homes. There is need to look for a mechanism that can reduce the mounting and pilling up of garbage in urban suburbs. In recent years, the United Nations member states met in Brazilian capital city Rio de Janeiro, they decided to launch a process of developing a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs) which will builduponthe millenniumdevelopmentgoalsandconverge withthe post2015developmentagenda. Lookingonthe subjectof matter,amongthe setgoals,the waste managementhasbeenaconcernas it is not properly managed hence the goal number 11 says “make the cities and human settlement inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. From the set goal number 11, it is being expected that by 2020, the government should play a vital role in reducing the adverse per capital environmental impactof the citiesandtowns,includingbypayingattentiontoairquality,municipal andotherwaste management. Objectives of Waste Segregation project To transform the waste collection system in urban environment. To create a safe andconducive environment for waste collection in an urban environment To educate local peopleonhow totake care of the environmentthroughwaste segregation To develop a circle of network of stakeholders that is local community, local government, private sector,andmediasocietiesfor the implementationof the waste segregationsystem. To put waste segregation into practice and creating a reuse, reduce and a recycle waste oriented communities. To developamonitoring andevaluationsystemsthat checksif the workisdone correctlyand the correct work is done.
- 2. Statement of the problem There is lessattention paidtoexistingwastedisposal in urbancentresasthe garbage of recyclablesis mountingandpillinginurbanstreetcornersandonthe infrastructure thusposing dysfunctionalityof the urban infrastructure and also jeopardising human health and environment. Constitutional Instruments on Waste Management The EnvironmentManagementAct(Chapter20:7) postulatesthateverypersonhasthe righttoclean and safe environment that is not harmful to health. Statutory Instrument 6 of 2007 Environment Management (Effluent and Solid Waste disposal Regulations) and Statutory Instrument 98 of 2000(Plastic Bottles and Plastic Packaging Regulations) under Environment Management Act prohibits: The discharge of disposal of any waste ina mannerthat causespollutiontothe environment or ill health to any person and the transportation of waste except under a licence issued by Environment Management Agency ( EMA). It alsogivesdetailsof whoshouldapplyforawaste licence thisincludeswastetransportation within Zimbabwe operators of the waste disposal sites or plants and to generators of the hazardous wastes. Waste Segregation The key for waste management – Waste segregation What is waste segregation? Waste segregationmeansthe separationof the entire waste generatedeitherinthe openspaces of central business districts or home, different waste groups according to the specific treatment and disposal requirements. The principles of waste segregation Everyplace of the waste generationshouldhavethe necessaryequipmentforthe kindof wastesthat are generated at that place. Garbage such as plastic bags, plastic bottles should be placed in their respective bins. Segregation and identification instruction should be placed at each waste collection point.The segregationshouldbe done at the source for example takingthe garbage fromthe offices and place it to its respective labelled bin. The segregated wastes should not be mixed during the transportandstorage.If the hazardousandnon-hazardouswastesare mixedtogetherthatmeansthe waste is classified as hazardous wastes.
- 3. Importance of Waste Segregation Since ithas beennotedthatthe currentwaste disposal isposingsome environmental challenges and healthof the people,wastesegregationisasolutiontothe challenges.Hereare the importanceof the waste segregation: It is the only way to increase the recycling rate It makesworksof the waste sorterseasierandmore efficientandmakesthe waste collection more convenient for the collecting companies. Reduces the chances of disease outbreaks if properly segregated because hazardous waste can cause serioushealthproblemssuchas rite off batteries,electronicsandliquidchemicals can cause serious health problems to both human beings, animals and the environment as well. Many parts of the waste are valuable thus can be reused for other purposes for example plasticbottlesforrepackingothernon-consumable andconsumable liquids, sobysegregating one is supporting the selection of the valuable materials. Thepicture shows an uncollected garbagewith theamountsof recyclablematerials. (Thepicturetaken in Bindura Town -19 July 2015).
- 4. The picture showsthe mixture of garbagecollected in one bin. (The picture taken in Harare CBD -18 July 2015) Picture of labelled bins (downloaded from the internet) Waste segregation as it involves the separation of waste s generated, here the project will involves the establishment of well labelled garbage bins around the townas shown in the picture above,the greenwithalabel glass,glasswaste willbe collectedinthatbin,yellow binwithalabel plastic,plastic wasteswill be collectedinthatbinsame appliestothe nextbins.If the projectiswell implemented,it may supports the participation of informal sector who are engaged in the collection of recyclable materials and improves the behaviour of scavengers who through away the waste in search of recyclable materials.
- 5. The idea of Waste Segregation is going to be a paradigm shift in transforming the current waste management system in the country as the initiative promotes the reuse, recycle and reduce waste oriented environment and ultimately a society free from man-made catastrophes and diseases. The target community for the waste segregation A small town such as Bindura is a situated in Mashonaland Central Province North East of Harare. Waste managementinBinduratownispoor,as waste is seeingpillingupinstreetcorners,backyards of shops as such nobody is paying attention to the mounting garbage. Although waste collectionis one of the mandate of the town municipality, the workloadis beyondcontrol andtherefore there is need to embark on waste segregation system that will solve the problem of pilling of garbage and make it easier for waste collection in the central business district,and recreational sites, residential and industrial sites. How the Waste segregation system is going to work The waste segregationsystemis goingtoinvolve aninteractionbetweenthe communityandservice providers. Community members are going to be educated about the new system of waste management through an awareness campaign. The education facility is going to involve the use of mediaand cell phoneswhere bythe systemwill be disseminatedasan advert and a message onthe cell phone throughEconet.Peoplewill alwaysberemindedtothrow the garbage initscorrectlabelled bin. Waste Collectors will have set a time tabled schedule for the collection of recyclable garbage. Bottling companies may be allowed to collect recyclable bottles and containers from the bins. Components of the activities Waste segregation at the source Waste to be recycled Waste to be disposed of at the disposal sites Target activities Implementation of the source of waste segregation Distribution of garbage bins in the communities Environmental education and public relation activities
- 6. Key issues on the Implementation plan Since Environmental ManagementAgency isthe sole organisation withthe Ministryof Environment, Water andClimate has the mandate of makingsure thatenvironmentisclean.Itisimportantthatthe team shall seek permission to establish well labelled waste bins in the town. The responsible team shall alsohave toliaise withthe townmunicipalitytogive themthe permissionandshow themplaces to place the bins. MonitoringandEvaluationsystemisgoingtobe putinplace thatwill be responsible checking whether the garbage is being collected into the correct bin and also take an immediate action if something is done in a wrong manner. Stakeholders such as individuals, local government, non-governmental organisations,private sectororganisationsandinformal sectorhave a keyrole to play in the implementation plan of the waste segregation project. Tab 1: shows the stakeholders and their roles to play in the Waste segregation project Stakeholders Roles Local Governance ( town municipalities) Donor Communities Ministry of Environment and Water and Climate/Environmental Management Agency Private Sector Local Community Media They have to arrange required tools and infrastructure for the implementation of the waste segregation project. They can provide financial aid and technical assistance to promote the waste segregation initiative by supporting the demonstration of the system at the implementation stage. The two organisation have to provide an appropriate platforminline withthe needsand demands of the people in the community in supporting the idea of waste segregation by enacting policies with objectives of reduce, reuse and recycle of the waste. Private sector organisations have a role to play in the reducing, reusing and recycling of the waste that is to invest their resources in the form of infrastructure, tools for waste management. Do source segregation at household level and also to cooperate with the town municipalities in carrying out the waste segregation Coverage in the print, and electronic advertisement of the Waste segregation activities,organise massawareness campaigns.
- 7. NGOs sector Act as an advocate for waste segregation through awareness and securing community participation. It also act as a bridge in covering the ground-based activities such as behaviour change in source segregation. PRE-LAUNCH ACTIVITIES As the programme is going to be implemented,the teamisplanning toconduct pre-launchactivities in the community which are as follows:- Road show/Matches in collaboration with drama majorettes from different schools, global leaders etc. Debates Concert which will include Show us your talent in (waste segregation) Ruffle tickets The reasonof havingpre-launchactivitiesistoraise awarenessof the upcomingevent.Thismethod is widely used as a community mobilisation strategyfor people to finally come to the event besides the silent communication messages that would have been sent through posters, fliers, and ward councillors. The picturesabove showsthe teamof youngpeople whoare workingoneducatingthe community on waste segregation.Theseyoungpeople are BinduraUniversityof Sience Education students.