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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) has commended local authorities countrywide for complying with the national strategies to minimise the spread of the Covid19 pandemic by implementing a number of environmentally health measures.
Among the most employed strategy is the sanitizing of Central business districts and other often congested areas such as market places during the lockdown period.
The Agency’s manager responsible for Environment and Education, Ms Amkela Sidange said though the councils had done well in terms of disinfecting public places, solid waste management remains a cause of concern.
She said waste generation had drastically increased at household level during the ongoing lockdown period.
Ms Sidange said they were also concerned with the emergence of a new waste stream as a result of the current COVID 19 pandemic.
“The pandemic has seen a significant increase in the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), particularly masks and gloves countrywide by frontline health personnel as well as general members of the public,” she said.
“The obtaining scenario has resulted in the transformation of the formerly institutionalized clinical or medical waste being found at household level globally, with Zimbabwe being no exception.
“However, this type of waste has serious and far-reaching negative impacts on the environment and human health if not properly disposed because other than polluting the environment, it might transmit the Coronavirus leading to its spread in the community.
“Masks and gloves are increasingly becoming common environmental litter, as Zimbabweans don them as safety precautions against COVID-19”.
The official said the PPE litter is more hazardous than normal garbage, as it has a higher risk of spreading the novel coronavirus.
Ms Sidange said those people dealing with picking and disposing the contaminated litter were at high risk of contracting other diseases including the COVID-19.
Furthermore, she said the once off use nature of most of the gloves and masks makes them non-recyclable or reusable, hence make their proper disposal critical during this pandemic and beyond until the world fully recovers.
“On that note, the Agency is encouraging all citizens to dispose of used gloves and face masks properly at designated places and not in the environment.
“Let’s do this so as to keep our environment clean, safe and healthy,” she said.
Ms Sidange said local authorities also ensure that waste is collected as scheduled to discourage illegal dumping by residents.
She said waste generation also presents green opportunities for people to segregate it at source to recover recyclable material, compostable material and only realise less waste to be collected and transported to the landfills.
The official said it was critical for residents to recover recyclable materials from their waste during this lockdown period and send for recycling after the COVID 19 era, when it will be safe to do so.
“All residents should desist from illegal dumping of waste as this can cause diseases and general environmental pollution, something we should avoid especially now as we are fighting against COVID 19,” said Ms Sidange.
Online Reporter