Bulawayo Stakeholders Urge Amendment to Inclusive Waste Management By-Law
Bulawayo stakeholders have called on Bulawayo City Council to amend the waste management by-law and specify the operation and capacitation of waste pickers.
This was raised during stakeholders consultative meeting on the proposed Bulawayo Solid waste management By-law on 13 December where various stakeholders from different sectors questioned the part of the by-law where waste remains the property of the council.
“The statement of waste remaining council’s property is problematic. The problem is that we have waste pickers who make livelihoods through picking waste however, when they go to pick up waste, council employees take away the waste and even go on to sell that waste to us,” said a stakeholder who is into waste management.
Certifying
He went on to suggest that BCC should provide cards as a way of permission to waste pickers so that they do not face same problem.
Another stakeholder stated that the by-law is silent on how waste pickers work and he asked for explanation of where the waste pickers fit in since the by-law is regarded as modern.
“In the By-law there is no mention of waste pickers but from my experience in working with them these people pick up waste on average 300 to 400 kg of waste per months showing how important they are in waste management,” he said.
Some of the stakeholders called for empowerment component and opportunities in the by-law especially considering people who depend on waste picking as a way of earning money.
By-Laws
The existing by-law was enacted in 1970 has become outdated and no longer aligns with the current needs and challenges faced by the city. The council has partnered with Mercy Corps, a non-governmental organization, to develop an inclusive and effective solid waste management by-law to address waste management challenges in the city.
Weeks ago CITE reported that waste pickers objected waste management by-law citing that the by-law could hinder the operations of waste pickers.
According to Mongabay, recycling waste by has become a booming business in Zimbabwe, as the country struggle under hyperinflation.
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