Gweru (New Ziana) – The local branch of the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in the Midlands province has intensified a blitz against littering, and issued 123 environmental protection orders and 119 tickets to offenders in the last two weeks.

The agency has been carrying out a waste management blitz in Midlands province since 17 January 2022 after noting with concern the level of illegal dumping in most business centres, residential areas and along major highways.

The Midlands EMA Environmental Education and Publicity Officer, Oswald Ndlovu, said the blitz is aimed at raising awareness on solid waste management as well as the prosecution of those found to be flouting environment regulations.

“So far, the agency has done 79 engagements with various stakeholders in the Midlands province including local authorities, public transport operators, shop owners and residents on solid waste management issues,” he said.

These engagements, Ndlovu said, resulted in the issuance of 123 environmental protection orders and 119 tickets for offences relating to illegal waste dumping and failure to provide bins in public conveniences.

As part of its enforcement measures, EMA has been mounting five anti-litter roadblocks along major highways – along the Gweru-Bulawayo highway, Gweru-Shurugwi highway and Kwekwe-Harare highway.
Four public transport operators have so far been issued with tickets for failure to provide bins within their vehicles for use by their passengers as per provisions of Section 23 of Statutory Instrument 6, of 2007.

“Inspections were also done in shops to check on the availability of bins for use by customers. A total of 68 tickets were issued to shop owners who did not have bins in their shops,” said Ndlovu.
He urged the public to desist from throwing litter out of moving vehicles as well as dumping waste in undesignated sites especially in residential areas and business centres.

New Ziana