Harare (New Ziana)- National Clean-up Campaign launched more than four years ago has helped create an eco-conscious society among Zimbabweans says the Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Mangaliso Ndlovu.
In a speech read on his behalf by his deputy, Barbra Rwodzi at an event to mark the May National Clean-up Day in Harare last Friday, Ndlovu said the programme has since gone beyond the broom with more emphasis on recycling premised on separation of waste at source and recovery of materials through the waste drop off points or transfer centres in communities.
“I am happy to say an increasing number of individuals, stakeholders and sectors have taken up the recycling agenda seriously and are demystifying the narrative in a positive way; and this also confirms to stakeholder participation which remains key in sustainable environmental management,” Ndlovu said. “In line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), my ministry has been pushing for the establishment of centres of excellence in as far as recycling initiatives are concerned.”
He applauded corporate and sectors that have taken the initiative of putting up waste drop off centres in communities and individuals that are promoting recycling in those communities while creating employment opportunities, reducing the among of waster being collected by municipalities for disposal at landfills, cutting down on time and transport and environmental pollution. More recycling also reduced the need for new resources and use virgin materials in the production sector thereby reducing ecological footprints.
To promote recycling, Ndlovu said the ministry is in the process of drawing up regulations on waste sorting on site to guide on storage before disposal to avoid spoilage to enable collection and recovery. He warned that littering and dumping are prosecutable offences and appealed to the judiciary to ensure that environmental offenders are not let off lightly.
New Ziana
