Govt drafts emergency sanitation plan
MOROGORO: THE government has launched the drafting of an Emergency Environmental Sanitation Plan and national waste management guidelines to combat a mounting public health and environmental crisis caused by uncollected solid waste across the country.
The urgent intervention comes as data shows Mainland Tanzania generates approximately 689,144 tonnes of solid waste every month, with more than half (50.8 per cent, or 350,000 tonnes) left uncollected in residential areas, streets and informal dumpsites.
Of the total monthly waste generated, only 49.2 per cent (339,095 tonnes) is collected by local authorities and private operators, while just 47.2 per cent actually reaches designated disposal sites.
Opening the drafting session in Morogoro yesterday, Ministry of Health Director of Preventive Services, Dr Samwel Nhiga, warned that unmanaged waste poses a severe threat to public health, environmental safety and local economies.
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“Waste provides suitable breeding grounds for flies, mosquitoes and rats, which can contribute to the spread of diseases such as cholera, malaria, typhoid and diarrhoeal diseases,” Dr Nhiga said.
He said dumping waste in unauthorised areas also affects the appearance of towns and cities and contributes to pollution of water sources.
Dr Nhiga said urgent measures are needed to remove waste from residential and public areas, improve waste collection services and prevent the emergence of illegal dumping sites.
He said the need for immediate action has become more pressing because of the possibility of El Niño rains, which could increase the risk of flooding if waste, particularly plastic, continues to block drainage systems.
“Poor environmental sanitation can also create conditions that increase the risk of diseases such as cholera, dengue, chikungunya, diarrhoeal diseases and typhoid, while worsening challenges related to malaria and intestinal worms,” he said.
The Emergency Environmental Sanitation Plan and the National Environmental Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Guideline are expected to provide a framework for improving waste collection, transportation and disposal systems while promoting cleaner and healthier communities across the country.
