ZERO WASTEby Prince Foley | 16-09-2021 14:22 |
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  Developing countries like Malawi face significant challenges in dealing with rising levels of waste, despite producing less waste than developed countries. Alarmingly current waste collection services can handle only a small percentage since there are very few waste recycling and disposal facilities around the country, and the fragmented nature of the sector is limiting opportunities for growth and innovation. Uncollected waste in Malawi is usually dealt with in one of two ways: either open dumping or burning. Many Malawians routinely burn built up waste outside their homes. This includes plastics and other toxic materials, consequently releasing harmful greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur oxide, etc causing higher levels of respiratory illness and climate change. Waste which is not burnt is dumped unnecessarily in local areas, in rivers or water systems, on farming land. Waste builds up in water systems, attracts vermin and causes a wide range of health problems such as cholera, contributes to climate change and other environmental risks such as flooding. City councils have introduced a number of by-laws and policies aimed at combating the growing waste management crisis. Due to a lack of resource, funding and waste disposal infrastructure, these regulations are rarely enforced, and waste continues to be dumped and is escalating beyond control. In order to achieve ¡°ZERO WASTE¡± in our communities there is need to gather, collate and share as much information as possible obtained from communities in Malawi, develop sustainable waste management infrastructures (facilities), improve waste collection and recycling practices to increase value recovery, support coordination among different actors in waste management sector and enhance economic resilience throughout the waste value chain. I took a walk around Blantyre city along some rivers that pass by the city to see how big is the issue. Below are the pictures that I captured of Mudi river and Limbe river. |
