DAR
ES SALAAM City Mayor, Mr Isaya Mwita has cautioned health facilities
against disposing waste into the ocean, posing very serious threats to
human life, especially those using the country’s beaches.
The
Mayor also cited plans to come up with specific by-laws that would
oversee waste management in the city, like in other regions such as
Arusha and Kilimanjaro.
Speaking
at the launch of a pavilion, which will serve as an information centre,
constructed at the Coco Beach in Dar es Salaam, yesterday, Mr Mwita
observed that a special area for disposing hospital waste has been
allocated in the city.
“Waste
materials like syringes and other hazardous materials spotted on the
beaches, their main sources are health facilities among others …they
pose very serious threats to human life considering that our beaches are
being used by people,” said Mr Mwita.
He
urged people to maintain cleanliness at all times and look at waste as a
big enemy to human life, much as the city has put up an arrangement of
collecting garbage.
Although
the arrangement covers the entire city, the Mayor disclosed that
residents of the area do not accord support to those commissioned with
collecting garbage, a reason why overcoming disease outbreaks remains a
long dream.
“About
seven million people residing in the city produce about 4,000 tonnes of
waste daily, but only 2,000 tonnes is disposed at the rightful place in
Pugu.
He
applauded 'Nipe Fagio', a non-governmental organization for initiating a
cleanliness campaign dubbed ‘Let’s do it Tanzania - World Cleanup Day
Campaign’ which peaks on September 15.
'Nipe
Fagio' Executive Director, Ms Ana Rocha said there is huge potential in
recycling waste, particularly plastic bottles into novel building
materials.
“Plastic
bottles are increasingly used in construction across the world and have
proved to be innovative and cost effective. The plastic bottle pavilion
will serve as a walk-in education centre for the general public and
school children
It
mobilizes communities to team up and support the Let’s Do It Tanzania
campaign which focuses on improving waste management in the
communities,” observed Ms Rocha.
Elaborating
on the campaign, she said it is part of the Let’s Do It! World, a
global mass movement that began in Estonia in 2008, when 50,000 people
united together to clean up the entire country in one day.
“Trash
and plastic pollution is today one of the greatest threats to human
health and marine life. We witness it daily in Dar es Salaam, where our
rivers and beaches are littered with trash.
To prevent the oceans from having more plastic than fish by 2050, we all need to join forces,” she said.
The
aim of the campaign is to move towards better waste management and
raise awareness both locally and globally about the severity of the
situation, supporting and connecting a new generation of community
leaders ready to act together to find lasting solutions.
Head
of Development Cooperation at the Swedish Embassy in the country, Mr
Ulf Källstig called upon people to adopt disposing waste in safe areas.
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