30 Jul 2017

Communities have been urged to understand the role they play in protecting the environment by having little or no tolerance to indiscriminate waste disposal.

This was said by Debswana Orapa Mine representative, Mr Teto Podile during the Mahalapye Sub-district Clean Up the World commemoration in Kudumatse recently. The campaign was under the theme: Zero tolerance to indiscriminate disposal of waste.

Mr Podile said although some might think it impossible not to have litter and not to indiscriminately dispose off it, and that litter prevention was a far-fetched concept, other countries had made tremendous changes in waste management and believed that Botswana too could.

He challenged communities to lead the change and not leave it to councils, adding that countries which excelled in the war against indiscriminate waste disposal had  real change in individual’s minds, especially the younger generation.

Mr Podile said government had measures in place to prevent littering and indiscriminate waste disposal such as house to house collection of waste, putting up street bins and engaging Ipelegeng beneficiaries for litter picking.

He said one of the ways through which people could contribute towards environment cleanliness was by utilising waste collection services offered by government through councils and by disposing waste at designated waste disposal sites.

He said there were 39 residents in the sub-district benefiting from community based refuse collection and about 264 beneficiaries of the Green Scorpion initiative.

He said despite such services there were still some not willing to show commitment in caring for the environment, adding that mindset change was important where environmental sanitation was concerned.

Mr Podile said waste management challenges faced by the country included burning of waste and indiscriminate waste disposal, especially nappies.

He said putting waste along the street and insanitary disposal of human excreta was also worrying.

However, he appreciated communities and those helping government in achieving the pillar of a healthy nation.

He said their contribution might seem insufficient, but that combined it would have a positive global impact, and that for the council’s efforts to be fruitful they all must support the initiative.

Mr Podile said individuals could start by cleaning their yards, not only inside but outside, and teaching children the importance of a clean and pollution-free environment.

Borotsi, Seleka and Taupye scooped first positions for being the cleanest villages in the large, medium and small village categories respectively.

Mr Podile congratulated villages for volunteering to get their hands dirty in order to make the environment clean and also urged those who did not win not to despair as 2018 was around the corner so they should up their game.

He however noted that the biggest prize was a litter-free environment, health and well-being for all. BOPA