01 Aug 2017

Visiting Japanese officials have urged Kweneng District Council to ‘seriously’ consider educating the public about waste management, emphasising the importance of separating waste materials at home.

This emerged during a visit to Gamodubu regional landfill by the Japanese delegation on Thursday.

After touring the landfill, which happens to be the largest in Botswana with a life span of 20 years, Japanese MP from Japan House of Representative, Mr Asahiko Mihara told KDC officials to teach the public “to work for a clean life,” saying if they take part in that action, all will be well.

He said people should start from home separating waste materials and council should collect the separated waste materials for recycling.  He stressed that it costs nothing to separate waste materials but it was a huge social cost to the council if waste materials were not separated at source.

The Japanese Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Masahiro Onishi also said waste collection was not the issue but responsibility lie with refuse collectors which was the local community as well as households and families who should assist in good waste management.  

For efficiency he advised the KDC to outsource refuse collection service.

He cited that in Japan, they charge citizens for waste disposal, and that they outsource the service and collect the money.

He said what motivated them to visit the landfill was that they had a bad experience in their country and they wanted to see how it was done here.  

He further said sanitation and clean water  topped the millennial goals.  As a result, proper management of waste was crucial otherwise in future if they are not practiced there will be bad consequences.

KDC chairperson, Mr Jeffery Sibisibi said waste disposal was one of the problematic areas in Botswana and if not properly managed, it could be harmful to the environment by causing pollution and global warming.  

He further stated that the Japanese delegation’s visit would enable KDC to share ideas to address some of the challenges that they are faced with particularly in areas such as the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle).

Acting chief public health officer, Mr Happy Mokete explained that the landfill received about 83 333 tons of waste and only reclaimed about 333 tons of waste for recycling which was a mere 0.4 per cent as compared to 13 per cent of total recyclable waste in

Japan.  Recycling waste remains a huge challenge for KDC because of lack of proper management of waste.

He mentioned that some of the challenges they faced were technical such as small capacity of facilities and equipment, non-payment for disposal by companies.   

The landfill also has a negative impact on the environment such as house flies, stray dogs, bad odor and overflow of leachate during the rainy season.

He said although there was insufficient recycling, there were no plants for recycling waste in Botswana and recycled waste is taken to South Africa. ENDS