Rampant dumping leaves Gweru facing a health hazard

The City of Gweru

GWERU residents face a potential health hazard due to long-term neglect of proper waste management, which has resulted in litter being dumped everywhere.

The city has a poor waste management plan, which needs urgent improvement.

People are dumping waste due to lack of bins at the city’s main vegetable market, and a visit to the market by Southern Eye revealed that rotten vegetables are dumped everywhere, even by the wayside.

Although the Gweru City Council says plans are in motion to increase the number of bins in the city, dumping at Mtapa has reached boiling point.

Spokesperson Vimbai Chingwaramusee admitted to Southern Eye that the city is facing a littering problem.

“As a local authority, we have seen that over the past years, urban expansion has affected the wellbeing of people, especially those in Woodlands and surrounding areas.

“It’s no longer safe for people to continue living alongside a dumpsite as it poses serious health problems to the community,” she said.

Chingwaramusee said an estimated $200 million is needed for completion of new dumpsites and acquisition of new street bins.

“As council, we are optimistic that relocation of the Woodlands dumpsite is expected to take place this year. The site is moving to Matobo next to our Cambrishire Sewer Treatment plant,” she said.

“Everything is now ready to go. We now wait for a few administrative works to be completed, which is being handled by the Lands ministry. It is our prayer that the relocation will be done on time.”

The littering at market places is even worse during the rainy season as rotten vegetables get mixed with muddy water, which results in putrid smells.

Over the years, Gweru has relied on one dumpsite near the Woodlands Park, but due to urban expansion, the site has become very full and the air is polluted.

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