A new solid waste management strategy is coming into effect in Lilongwe, Malawi. The aim is to clean up the streets of the Malawian capital, which are clogged with illegal dumpsites.
In order to clean up the city, the Lilongwe City Council (LCC) has developed a solid waste management strategy. The new plan was implemented by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe (CCJP Lilongwe), in partnership with Oxfam Malawi. The work was carried out under the project ‘Strengthening Collaborative Governance on City Planning and Management’. The initiative is funded by the Tilitonse Foundation.
Read Also – AFRICA: The continent is tackling the tide of waste that fouls the environment
As a first step, the LCC plans to increase adequate facilities and equipment in Lilongwe for the elimination of illegal dumping in the city. Currently, Lilongwe spends about 80 million Malawian kwacha (more than $91,200) a year to collect and transport rubbish from illegal dumpsites. “Rapid population growth and increased urbanisation have led to an increase in waste generation and pressure on the level of service the city can provide to its residents,” says Thokozani Mkaka, LCC’s deputy director of health and cleaning services. The new waste management policy also aims to make Lilongwe a sustainable city, according to the official.
Read Also –
The new Lilongwe Solid Waste Management Plan will facilitate the implementation of the National Waste Management Strategy, launched on 11 June 2021 in Malawi. This policy focuses on the use of modern technologies for waste disposal in the country. The new policy also aims to develop the circular economy through the recycling and/or reuse of waste. According to Malawi’s Minister of Forestry and Natural Resources, Nancy Tembo, the achievement of these goals is contingent on securing adequate funding and equipment for waste collection and transportation in the country. Moreover, at the launch of the Malawi Waste Management Strategy, Nancy Tembo called for the support of public and private actors to give Malawi’s streets “a greener face”.
Inès Magoum
