The Sunday News
THE Bulawayo City Council’s prospects of reviving the city’s status as one of the cleanest in the continent could just be a pipe dream, with council revealing it is facing an acute shortage of garbage bins.
According to figures provided by the local authority, BCC only has 202 bins out of a required 600, this translating to a shortfall of 66,4 percent.
Responding to questions from Sunday News, BCC senior public relations officer, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu, said because of these shortages, the local authority would continue lobbying the public to adopt the habit of throwing all litter in the few available bins.
“There are currently 202 bins against the required 600 bins, it is why we continue to encourage residents to get into the habit of throwing litter into bins and everyone should be a watchman against litterers. Corporates and individuals can also come aboard and assist by donating litter bins.
“We encourage area stewardship for businesses by requesting them to maintain the areas in and around their premises and ensuring they are litter-free. Business organisations and individuals can also assist by sponsoring litter monitors,” said Mrs Mpofu.
She also called on companies dealing in or using problematic products such as kaylite containers, diapers and airtime vouchers to assist in carrying out anti-littering campaigns targeting their consumers.
“Council has come up with an initiative — Bulawayo Solid Waste Improvement Forum (B-SWIP) — that was launched on 31 August. This platform brings in different stakeholders such as the business community, residents associations and non-governmental organisations, to promote waste reduction, re-use and recycling,” said the senior public relations officer.
She said while the fine for litter bugs remained pegged at $20, it was the council’s hope that residents would also take up the responsibility of restoring the city to its former status as the cleanest in the country.
“Residents have to come together to help promote and ensure a sustainable waste recycling industry in Bulawayo, cascade environmental education to all players in each stakeholder’s sector, encourage producers and suppliers to provide extended producer responsibility programmes and to help mobilise resources for solid waste education and enforcement programmes and other solid waste management activities in the city,” said Mrs Mpofu.
The city’s mayor, Councillor Martin Moyo, echoed Mrs Mpofu’s sentiments noting that it was about time that residents realised the importance of keeping the city clean and that this onus did not lie with the council alone but was an all-stakeholders affair. In the past, councillors have called on the local authority to come up with more stringent measures to help deter litter bugs.
Last year, on 1 June, just a few days before the world commemorated World Environment Day, the city launched the Bin-it clean-up campaign, an initiative that has one core objective — keeping the city clean.
The campaign was meant to target the central business district before spreading to the low and high density suburbs. To add on to the usual sweeping of the streets participants were envisaged to act as litter monitors with the responsibility of educating people on waste management.
