“No one is collecting plastic bottles and damaged plastic objects from Chikwangala dumping site in Chongwe for reuse, ” protests Peter Sukwa

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By Derrick Sinjela

Chongwe  Municipal Council (CMC) Public Relations Officer (PRO) Peter Sukwa is privy of four companies involved in the collection of plastic bottles and damaged plastic objects from Chikwangala dumping site in Chongwe for recycling.

However as a local authority, Mr. Sukwa says Chongwe Municipal Council is not aware of any scavenging activities allegedly taking place at its dumping site apart from the four companies involved in waste Management recycling business, which helps the council to manage the dumpsite from getting full.

In a Friday,  22nd December, 2023 Press Statement,  Mr. Sukwa stated that Management at Chongwe Municipal Council has not received any report from it’s two workers manning the dumpsite of any local scavengers picking plastic bottles and objects for re-sell and use of traditional beverage known as Mnkhoyo and sell of drinking water.

“We would like to assure the public that the local authority was treating the reports of villagers allegedly collecting plastic bottles and objects seriously as it is iligal and hazardrous to their lives. It was likely an isolated case of scavengers from nearby villagers may have been accessing the dumpsite after working hours of our officers manning the area and children playing at the site, which is beyond the local authority’s control. We warn those who may be involved in the act of trading at the dumpsite after work hours, as that is not only illegall but hazardous to their health and that of the general public,” advised Sukwa.

Sukwa advised the community to be aware of the on going cholera outbreak in Chongwe District, noting that by law scavenging activities will not be condoned.

” We wish to state at this point that yes, there are four waste Management Companies at Chikwangala dumping site collecting plastic bottles and other plastic objects which they use for recycling plastic products. However, we have no report from our workers manning the dumping site of the reported scavengers from near by villages who are using sticks and bare hands without protective cloths to get plastic bottles and broken basins for both re-use or use to sell Munkoyo, water and also sell to recycling waste Management companies for their survival,” assured Sukwa.

“Chongwe Municipal Council is aware that life is the most valued and important resource during our stay which must be treasured because it is not replaceable, reason we do not condone scavenging and will always tighten the security at the dumping site.

We wish to urge the villagers around the dumping site to protect lives of their few children who would take the site as a play ground to prevent them inorder to protect them against the outbreak of cholera as flies and dirt water are critical sources of cholera outbreak,”admonished Sukwa

 

…here is the

PRESS STATEMENT in full:
(For Immediate Release)

Chongwe- Friday,  22nd December, 2023.

Chongwe Municipal Council wishes to state that it is aware of four Companies involved in the collection of plastic bottles and damaged plastic objects from Chikwangala dumping site in Chongwe for recycling.

As a local Authority, we are not aware of any scavenging activities allegedly taking place at its dumping site apart from the four companies involved into waste Management recycling Business which helps the council to also manage the dumpsite from getting full.

Therefore, we wish to state that Management at Chongwe Municipal Council has not received any report from it’s two workers manning the dumpsite of any local scavengers picking plastic bottles and objects for re-sell and use of traditional beverage known as Mnkhoyo and sell of drinking water.

We would like to assure the public that the local authority was treating the reports of villagers allegedly collecting Plastic bottles and objects seriously as it is iligal and hazardrous to their lives.

We also wish to state that it was likely that isolated cases of scavengers from nearby villagers may have been accessing the dumpsite after working hours of our officers manning the area and also children playing at the site, which is beyond local authority’s control.

We wish to warn those who may be involved in the act of trading at the dumpsite after work hours , as that is not only iligal but hazardous to their health and also to the general public.

The Community and the Public must be worry with the on going cholera outbreak in Chongwe district and that we do not allow by law scavenging activities because they were recipes for increasing number of cases of cholera outbreak ,more especially during this onset of the rain season.

” We wish to state at this point that yes, there are four waste Management Companies at Chikwangala dumping site collecting plastic bottles and other plastic objects which they use for recycling plastic products. However, we have no report from our workers manning the dumping site of the reported scavengers from near by villages who are using sticks and bare hands without protective cloths to get plastic bottles and broken basins for both re-use or use to sell Munkoyo, water and also sell to recycling waste Management companies for their survival.”

Chongwe Municipal Council is aware that life is the most valued and important resource during our stay which must be treasured because it is not replaceable, reason we do not condone scavenging and will always tighten the security at the dumping site.

We further wish to urge the villagers around the dumping site to protect lives of their few children who would take the site as a play ground to prevent them inorder to protect them against the outbreak of cholera as flies and dirt water are critical sources of cholera outbreak.

Issued by: Peter Sukwa-Chongwe Public Relations Officer.
Cell: 0977464335
Email: chongwedistrict@gmail.com
Website: www.chongwecouncil.gov.zm
Facebook: Chongwefacebook