Dar eyes specific by-laws to improve waste management

MAUREEN ODUNGA

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.