Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo [email protected]
TODAY’S National Clean-Up Day has ushered in a month-long national campaign aimed at tackling waste and pollution at source, with authorities shifting the focus from merely collecting litter to preventing it from being generated in the first place.
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) said the campaign will drive 30 days of intensified environmental awareness, waste reduction and pollution control activities across the country.
The initiative will also build momentum towards World Clean-up Day on September 20, when Zimbabwe joins millions of people across the globe in promoting cleaner, healthier and more sustainable communities.
In a statement, EMA said this year’s campaign goes beyond the traditional clean-up exercise of removing litter from streets, open spaces and public areas.
Instead, the agency is encouraging a behavioural shift, urging households, businesses, institutions and communities to take greater responsibility for the waste they generate and how it is managed.
“Cleaning is everyone’s responsibility. Don’t create a dirty environment to clean it, rather, keep the environment clean after the clean-up,” said EMA.
This month’s National Clean-Up Day is being held under the theme, “A Clean Environment, Everyone’s Responsibility”, highlighting the importance of collective action in creating cleaner and environmentally sustainable communities.
EMA said the campaign will promote practical waste management measures, including preventing littering, reducing waste generation, separating waste at source, recovering recyclable materials and ensuring the responsible disposal of refuse.
Particular attention will be directed towards plastic pollution and other problematic waste streams, which continue to pose significant environmental challenges due to their persistence in the environment and the difficulties associated with disposal.
Communities are expected to use today’s clean-up exercise not only to collect rubbish but also to identify the root causes of littering in their localities and develop practical measures to prevent waste from accumulating again.
EMA also called on businesses and institutions to support the campaign by maintaining clean premises and surrounding areas beyond the designated clean-up day.
Members of the public have been urged to adopt responsible waste management practices at household level, including separating recyclable materials from other refuse and avoiding indiscriminate dumping.
The agency said achieving a clean and environmentally sustainable Zimbabwe requires the participation of every citizen and cannot be left to Government institutions alone.
“As Zimbabwe observes the September National Clean-Up Day and also joins the global clean-up movement, the message is clear: we all have a role to play in keeping Zimbabwe clean,” said EMA.
The campaign comes as countries around the world increasingly focus on addressing the causes of waste pollution rather than simply managing its consequences.
Meanwhile, World Clean-up Day has evolved into a global movement dedicated to tackling the systems and behaviours that generate waste, rather than focusing solely on litter collection.
This year’s global observance will focus on food waste, one of the largest and most preventable waste streams worldwide.
Held under the theme “From Clean Plates to Clean Cities”, the commemorations will spotlight innovative policies, technologies and partnerships aimed at reducing food waste, advancing the circular economy and supporting sustainable urban development.
Food waste remains a major environmental concern, contributing to the inefficient use of land, water and energy resources while increasing the volume of waste that must be collected and disposed of.
World Clean-up Day will also provide a platform for international dialogue, knowledge-sharing and partnerships to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda.
On December 8, 2023, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 78/122, officially proclaiming September 20 as World Clean-up Day.
The resolution encourages member states, United Nations agencies, regional organisations, civil society, the private sector and academic institutions to mark the day through clean-up activities and environmental awareness programmes.
EMA said Zimbabwe’s month-long campaign presents an opportunity to deepen public awareness and encourage communities to take ownership of the environment around them.
The agency said the true measure of success will not be the amount of rubbish collected during today’s exercise, but whether Zimbabweans embrace lasting behavioural change by reducing waste generation and preventing littering long after the campaign ends.
Every household, business, institution and community, EMA said, has a role to play in transforming National Clean-Up Day from a monthly exercise into a lasting culture of environmental responsibility.
