By Environmental Reporter

Mashonaland West based local authorities have been castigated over failure to fully embrace modern ways of waste management systems as there are battling to properly manage waste, posing a threat to human lives and the environment.

In a snap survey carried out by this publication in major towns across the province recently, it was discovered that most local authorities in major towns and cities such as Chinhoyi, Kadoma, Karoi, Chegutu are still resorting to traditional methods of waste management instead of using modern ways.

In an interview with this publication in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West Education and Publicity officer Mr Munyaradzi Nhariswa slammed local authorities for perrenially citing baseless reasons for failure to manage waste in their areas of jurisdiction.

‘‘Councils are failing to adapt to changes, there is need for them to modernize waste management practices through promoting recycling initiatives and properly manage value chain waste management systems.

‘‘Waste seperation or characterization is not being properly implemented, inadequacy of storage facilities, transportation is also poor. When it comes to disposal facilities, only two have landfills with the remaining depending on illegal dumpsites which are a threat to the environment as well as human lives,’’ he said.

 He said that there was real need for the local authorities to consider potential of waste pickers, interrogate the kind of support needed.

  ‘‘This constituency of waste pickers is very critical, they need council support so that they scale up their operations,’’ he said.

‘‘Councils should come up with effective waste separation centres,’’ he added.

 Chinhoyi Residents Association coordinator Peter Liwanda echoed the same sentiments for modernizing waste management systems as a lasting solution.

The municipality of Kariba’s health technician, Marlvin Mukorera gave in for failure by local authorities to incentivize community based organizations who are into waste management recycling.

‘‘There are situations where councils have not been able to financially assist CBOs in their quest to manage waste. Some health clubs have failed,’’ he said.

Memory Ngwezere from the municipality of Chinhoyi’s health department said operational spaces and transportation is a challenge for growing CBOs who are currently operating at open illegal dumpsite.

 Never Gariromo of Karoi Zero Waste lashed at the local authorities with illegal dumpsites and challenged them to consider recycling seriously citing Zero Waste pilot project in Japan Khamikhatsu as a point of reference.

‘‘Khamikhatsu has 46 recyclable materials and has been turned into a tourist centre by Japan with a very busy hotel and tourism activities,’’ he said.

 ‘‘The tourists buy artifacts made from the recycled materials. The recycling centre has 700 players, this is what we expect our councils to be thinking along those lines,’’ he said.

 A research done by the University of Zimbabwe in 2011 had the following results on solid waste generated in tonnes.

 Residential had 613 840, commercial had 485 716, Industrial had 442 839, medical had 34 136 and academic had 72 027 all totaling to 1 649 558.