Recyclable material collectors empowered with data

Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:44:39 +0000

By LINDA SOKO TEMBO

Collectors of recyclable materials at Chunga dumpsite in Lusaka have made a living out of it, Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) Director- General, John Msimuko has said.

Mr. Msimuko made the remarks during the opening of a workshop in Lusaka yesterday on Chunga dumpsite recyclable waste collection.

Speaking on behalf of Mr. Msimuko, ZEMA Manager for Operations, David Kapindula, said the institution wanted to ensure that the Chunga dumpsite was well managed as it was a resource of many people made a living out of waste.

“As ZEMA we want to ensure that the dumpsite is well managed because we believe that wealth is a resource of which many of you have made a living out of.

“Waste picking and recycling is a chain and is an industry that is yet to grow in Zambia and we believe that as ZEMA we want to give you the right knowledge because we believe that we need to protect the people and the environment,” said Mr. Kapindula

Mr. Kapindula also emphasised on the safety of waste collectors noting that the business had serious health impacts both long and short team.

Meanwhile Waste Recycling Association of Zambia (WRAZ) president, Harrison Musonda, was grateful that ZEMA had come up with such an initiative adding that they had always wanted such workshops to empower the waste collectors.

“We have been crying for this workshop for a long time as we all know that knowledge is power,” he said.