Recycling the answer

that claim to be socially and environmentally responsible.
Incredibly, most of the environmental sins here go unpunished, and thus creating and promoting a conducive atmosphere for wanton pollution.
The Zimbabwe National Recycling Programme (ZNRP), a joint venture between Vertmedia Zimbabwe, a specialist recycling transnational firm, and the Environmental Management Agency, is seeking to stop all that, or at least revolutionise the manner in which waste is managed, for a better, healthier environment.
Mr Wilson Matimba, promoter and spokesperson of the ZNRP, told a recent recycling workshop in Harare that the programme was mandated to systematically introduce recycling in Zimbabwe through a variety of initiatives, which prevent waste-related diseases such as cholera and typhoid.
He said the main purpose of the programme was to provide integrated waste management programmes based on the concept of stewardship, a principle regarded key for sustainable development in the National Environmental Policy (NEP).
Among many things, which include championing the promulgation of waste-related legislation that further protect the environment, the ZNRP will also implement continuous public space, commercial based, residential, school-based and event recycling.
“ZNRP seeks to remove recyclables from the waste stream and by so doing reduce the amount of waste that councils have to collect and send to landfill,” Mr Matimba explained.
“The reduction in waste being sent to landfill will reduce the burden on councils’ typically small fleet of vehicles and also reduce their huge operational budget. The collection and diversion of recyclables from the waste stream will improve the viability of recyclers in Zimbabwe. It will also result in significant import substitution for plastic, saving the country millions of dollars.”
Pollution from industrial activity is a major concern in Zimbabwe, and despite national policies seeking to control or minimise environmental damage, the social and environmental costs from industrial pollution remain unbearable.
In the retail sector, the disposal of solid waste is at best reckless. Government has already identified the sector as a major area for developing waste management strategies based on the principle of the three Rs: reuse, recycle and reduce, to limit environmental degradation.
Already, the use of non-biodegrable plastic wrapping has been banned, or at least come under very strict control.
To this end, the ZNRP will assist in the development of local environmental standards, and the review of appropriate regulations to control pollution and manage waste disposal. It will also support the licensing of new landfills, strengthening of institutions that monitor the enforcement of standards to ensure waste is treated in an unacceptable manner as well as the enforcement and imposition of stiff penalties for non compliance.
Mr Matimba said in order to support environmentally sustainable economic advancement, the programme intends to put in place mechanisms for developing and implementing integrated waste management plans within industry and promote voluntary environment management initiatives.
It will provide economic instruments or incentives in the form of tax and duty rebates for companies acquiring clean production technologies; encourage the financial sector to finance such activities, as well as fund research into development of environmentally sound production processes and technologies.
Several people earn money from collecting and reselling recyclable material from landfills and dumpsites, such as the one found at Pomona in Harare.
However, such activities are done under very difficult conditions, which pose serious occupational health hazards, especially to the poor and vulnerable.
In line with the several guiding principles, as contained in the NEP, the Zimbabwe National Recycling Programme seeks to integrate poverty and environment issues into the national development framework.
It is also planning to create incentives for employment creation and strengthen the rights of the poor and vulnerable collectors of recyclables to access and use the resources on a sustainable basis.
The ZNRP’s objectives will be achieved through the provision of recycling bins in urban centres, national environmental awareness training and curriculum development, capital and technical support to recycling industry, and research on the environment and poverty reduction among other activities.
In March, Vertmedia Zimbabwe wrote to the Harare City Council proposing a partnership for what it called systematic recycling activities within the city starting with Dzivarasekwa and Kuwadzana high-density suburbs, which were the epicentre of the recent typhoid outbreak.
In this campaign Vertmedia Zimbabwe would undertake numerous activities including collection of all packaging from households, sorting, dispose recyclables at market-related prices, supply, empty and maintain public space recycling bins.
It will also provide solar-powered illumination to the bins as well as obtain waste levies from the Packaging Council of Zimbabwe for the disposal of non-recyclable packaging from producing firms.
The Harare Council was expected to continue with its refuse collection activities, continue earning money from it although such duties and earnings were to be diluted by at least 25 percent with increased efficiency.
However, it remains unknown whether this partnership will work.
The ZNRP is a broad-based coalition of professional institutions and associations representing the public and corporate sectors and Government.
Launched in February 2011, the programme has over 50 members dedicated to the establishment of sustainable solutions to the environmental health challenges that Zimbabwe faces through the introduction of resource recovery systems, specifically focusing on the establishment of systematic and compromise recycling services, facilities and processes.
God is faithful.