THE Environmental Management Agency (Ema) has so far issued more than 200 environmental protection orders and tickets for offences relating to illegal waste dumping after embarking on a waste management blitz in the Midlands Province.
In an interview with the Daily News yesterday, Ema Midlands spokesperson Oswald Ndlovu said the blitz was launched last month.
“Ema has been carrying out a waste management blitz in the Midlands province since January 17, 2022 after noting, with concern, the level of illegal dumping in most business centres, residential areas as well as along major highways.
“These engagements resulted in the issuing of 123 environmental protection orders and 119 tickets for offences relating to illegal waste dumping and failure to provide bins in public areas,” Ndlovu said.
He said the blitz was also aimed at raising awareness on solid waste management as well as the prosecution of those found breaching environmental laws.
“So far the agency has done 79 engagements with various stakeholders in the Midlands Province, including local authorities, public transport operators, business community and residents on solid waste management issues,” he said.
Ndlovu said in pursuant to their mandate as Ema they have also been mounting anti-litter roadblocks along major highways.
He said a total of five roadblocks have been mounted along Gweru-Bulawayo, Gweru-Shurugwi and Kwekwe-Harare highways.
“In total four public transport operators were issued with tickets for failure to provide bins in their vehicles. In addition 14 environmental protection orders have since been served to public transport operators to ensure they adhere to Ema regulations,” Ndlovu further told the Daily News adding that inspections have also been done in shops with a total of 68 tickets being issued to shop owners.
Ndlovu warned the public to desist from throwing litter at undesignated areas as it is an environmental threat.
“As Ema we would like to encourage the public to desist from throwing litter out of moving vehicles as well as dumping waste in undesignated sites especially in residential and business centres. As per the provisions of Section 23 of Statutory Instruments 6 of 2007 no person is allowed to throw litter on any land or water except in a container provided for that purpose,” he said.
by
Tamary Chikiwa
in ZVISHAVANE
