CONFRONTING THE RECKLESS GAMBLING WITH PEOPLE’S HEALTH AND LIVES: URBAN SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ZIMBABWE

Abstract

Litter has become a common sight along high ways and in many urban and peri-urban communities in Zimbabwe. In spite of the numerous clean-up and anti-litter campaigns that have been initiated by different individuals and organizations coupled with the tremendous effort that has been put in making the public aware of the disadvantages associated with littering, endemic and insistent filth engulfs Zimbabwe as people continue to litter. Zimbabwe’s waste management has virtually collapsed, triggering chaotic and rampant waste dumping, putting the health of residents at great risk. The prevalence of various forms of litter in these communities has been fuelled by a consumerist corporate and social culture where a lot of packaged foodstuffs are manufactured to be consumed on the run. Inefficient collection mechanisms by municipalities and lack of ‘separate at source’ models have led to adverse effects on our ecosystem and the environment. Litter has primary and secondary effects on the environment and the community. The corporate world is affected by disease outbreaks as employees are either directly or indirectly affected. Considering that most industries are located within the vicinity of high density areas, their industrial waste management systems are also a cause for concern. Considering all the above mentioned factors, the paper examines ways and means of effectively managing waste in Zimbabwe’s urban areas to reduce the exposure of people and the environment to waste hazards. The paper argues for the building of some environmental awareness and changing the mind-set of ordinary Zimbabweans to a set-mind where litter should be everyone’s concern .It argues for waste disposal to be done in accordance with the best principles of public health, economics, engineering conservation, aesthetics and other appropriate environmental practices. The major conclusion is that there is urgent need for sustainable waste management chiefly through community participation and concomitant attitude change to adopt a ‘trash is treasure, waste is wealth and refuse is resource’ one.