Online Reporter
Alicia Kadzviti
Herald Reporter
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has trained a new cohort of zero waste champions to monitor illegal dumping and enforce proper waste management ahead of the 2026 COMESA Summit in Harare.
The training was held during a capacity-building workshop under the theme “Promoting Sustainable Waste Management and a Litter-Free COMESA Summit”, hosted jointly by EMA, Geo Pomona Waste Management and the City of Harare.
According to EMA, the champions will spearhead awareness, compliance and best practices in solid waste management before and during the regional summit.
Their mandate includes monitoring illegal dumping, promoting waste separation at source, increasing recycling and supporting a circular economy approach.
EMA Harare Provincial Manager, Mr Leon Mutungamiri, said the programme is a key pillar of the agency’s COMESA preparedness strategy.
“The trained champions will play a critical role in promoting responsible waste handling, preventing littering and illegal dumping, and supporting effective solid waste management systems across Harare Metropolitan Province,” he said.
Sessions covered the environmental sustainability objectives for the 2026 summit, Geo Pomona’s role in waste collection, and environmental legislation and compliance requirements.
Participants also received practical demonstrations on waste separation at source, identification of recyclable materials, and the role of recyclers in advancing the circular economy.
In a public notice issued after the workshop, EMA urged Harare residents to refrain from illegal dumping, littering and open burning of waste.
The public was also advised to adhere to waste collection schedules set by the City of Harare and Geo Pomona.
The agency warned that Section 83 of the Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27) makes it an offence to discard waste in undesignated areas, with violators facing enforcement action.
