GOVERNMENT ENDORSES ZAMBIAN BREWERIES FOR TAKING A LEADING ROLE IN CLEANING UP LUSAKA CITY

By MacPherson Mukuka

Manja Pamodzi, A new community waste recycling initiative supported by Zambian Breweries and National Breweries looks set to clean-up parts of Lusaka and create new business opportunities through an innovative public-private partnership.

Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing Hon. Nicholas Banda – representing Vice President Hon. Inonge Wina - was on hand to officially launch the Manja Pamodzi project at a ceremony in Lusaka today attended by representatives for Lusaka City Council, government officials and the business stakeholders.

“The government is committed to bettering the lives of Zambians through job-creation and free enterprise. We therefore endorse the group for its innovation in not only complementing the local authority’s clean-up efforts but also for creating enterprise opportunities for community members who are engaged,” said Mrs Wina in a speech read on her behalf by Mr Banda.

The Manja Pamodzi project supports collectors, who are identified through environmental education and sensitisation drives with a particular attention on recycling. These collectors will gather together plastic bottles, Chibuku cartons and other recyclable materials from surrounding areas in their communities. Collectors then deliver the waste to buying-centre collection points where aggregators buy them in bulk and process the discarded material into bales that are sold to recycling companies to be processed into other materials such as tissue.

This project hopes to improve the livelihood of the people. The aim is to minimise the amount of littering in the communities through environmental health education as well as encourage recycling. I have no doubt that this will reduce issues such as blocked drainages which give rise to avoidable diseases such as cholera and typhoid especially during the rainy season. We’re excited to play our part in promoting a cleaner and healthier Zambia

Zambian Breweries and National Breweries Managing Director Annabelle Degroot explained: “As Zambia has experienced exponential growth, our businesses have produced more to meet the demand of our consumers.  These products often come in convenient packaging such as plastic. 

 At Zambian Breweries we sell the majority of our products in returnable glass bottles that are recycled many times before they are disposed of.  But year-on-year our consumers are asking for more of their soft drinks in PET plastic bottles.  At National Breweries, we produce Chibuku in cartons and now more recently in PET plastic bottles known as Chibuku Super.  

The group’s decision to drive the initiative was based research that showed only 26 percent  of the estimated 900 tons of waste that is generated daily in Lusaka is collected via formal services; and that 34 percent of the 900 tons produced a day is recyclable.

“We have taken an educational approach to this in that we are looking at changing people’s thinking of waste from ‘just waste’ to ‘recyclable and non-recyclable waste’ and what they can do with the recyclable waste. The great thing about this is that one does not require any education, capital or equipment. All it requires is the willingness to work and identify locations that will enable them to collect the most,” said Project Manager Elaine Kafwimbi.

Meanwhile, Lusaka City Deputy Mayor Portipher Tembo says the programme will answer to the challenges resulting from indiscriminate disposal of waste.

According to statistics, only 234 tones from the estimated 900 tons of waste generated daily in Lusaka is collected via formal services, and only 34 percent of the generated waste is recycled.

Manja Pamodzi is currently is in its initial phase and has 73 collectors on board already with collection points in Chawama, Kamwala, Ngwerere, Chunga and others to follow as the project catches on in the various communities.