Andile Tshuma Sunday News Reporter
BULAWAYO residents have called for tougher measures against plastic pollution, including a ban on single-use plastics and increased environmental levies on major plastic waste producers, as stakeholders push for stronger accountability and sustained community participation in keeping the city clean.
The calls were made during a Provincial Stakeholder Clean-Up Engagement Meeting convened by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in Bulawayo, on Thursday, where stakeholders reviewed clean-up campaign activities and explored ways of strengthening waste management.
Residents said periodic clean-up exercises would not be enough to address the city’s growing waste challenges unless authorities strengthen enforcement, businesses took greater responsibility for the waste generated by their products and communities adopted responsible waste disposal practices.
They called for tougher measures targeting manufacturers of plastic packaging, beverage containers and plastic bags, arguing that reducing plastic waste at its source was critical to protecting the environment and improving public health.
The meeting brought together residents, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Bulawayo City Council (BCC), the Ministry of Local Government and the Office of the President and Cabinet, among other stakeholders, to assess progress and identify gaps in the implementation of clean-up activities.
Participants also called for sustained public awareness programmes based on the ‘One Health Approach’, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.
They said communities needed to understand how poorly managed waste and plastic pollution could affect public health, while encouraging residents to take greater responsibility for their surroundings beyond designated national clean-up days.
EMA Bulawayo provincial manager Mrs Sithembisiwe Ndlovu said environmental protection required a shift from periodic participation in clean-up exercises to consistent environmental stewardship by individuals, businesses and institutions.
“Cleanliness should not be something that we prioritise only on national clean-up days. We need to develop a culture where every individual, household, business and institution takes responsibility for the waste they generate and ensures that it is properly managed,” she said.
“Plastic pollution is a particular concern because plastic waste can persist in the environment when it’s not properly collected and disposed of.
“We must strengthen public awareness, promote recycling and ensure that environmental regulations are followed. The responsibility for a clean environment rests with all of us.”
Bulawayo City Council cleansing officer, Mr Nkanyiso Ndlovu, outlined the local authority’s solid waste management operations, including collection targets and the challenges affecting service delivery, saying the council was consistently collecting garbage from every each week.
“We’ve been consistent in refuse collections and wherever there have been challenges, it is communicated and the truck would still come on a different day. We appreciate the residents who have taken part in clean-up activities because it takes all of us to keep Bulawayo clean,” he said.
“Waste management cannot be left to the local authority alone. Council has a responsibility to collect and manage waste, but residents and businesses must also play their part by disposing of waste correctly.”
Residents also proposed that major beverage companies and plastic bag manufacturers contribute more towards waste management through increased environmental levies and support for recycling initiatives.
They said businesses whose products contribute significantly to the waste stream should play a greater role in financing the collection, recovery and recycling of discarded packaging.
The proposals were part of broader calls for practical interventions to reduce the amount of plastic entering the environment and encourage a transition towards more sustainable production and consumption practices.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube, who was represented at the meeting commended religious organisations operating under the Zimbabwe Heads of
Christian Denominations for their continued participation in the city’s clean-up activities over the past 11 months.
“Residents, businesses, schools, traditional leaders, community groups and public institutions must all participate in clean-up activities and take responsibility for maintaining clean surroundings every day,” she said.
Bulawayo Mayor Councillor David Coltart, who was represented by Councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo, also called for a united approach to maintaining the city’s cleanliness.
He linked the clean-up campaigns to wider municipal efforts to re-organise informal trading activities and improve the management of public spaces through the planned ‘Operation Hlanzeka’.
“As we prepare for Operation Hlanzeka in Bulawayo we are committed towards ensuring that the city is clear of illegal informal traders, we also need to dismantle unauthorised roadside structures and restore order,” he said.
“We, however, call for a united front as a city where all the residents and stakeholders will commit to ensuring that we re-organise Bulawayo and ensure a clear and sanitary city. However, this cannot be done without your support.”
Stakeholders also discussed opportunities to strengthen recycling and integrate waste recovery enterprises into the city’s broader waste management systems, with recycling innovator Wezesha Enterprises cited as part of efforts to promote a circular economy.
