Clean City changing the face of waste management in Zim

CLEAN City Africa says it is making significant strides in improving waste management services in various cities and towns in Zimbabwe.

The Cassava Smartech subsidiary has in the past two years introduced creative waste management initiatives to combat illegal dumping sites — a major public health and environmental hazard facing municipalities — and helped thousands of families live in a clean environment.

Mr Givemore Jojo, Cassava’s Chief Commercial Officer, said the group’s waste management efforts have not only reduced the risk of contracting diseases for urban dwellers, but have also assisted local councils in reducing environmental pollution.

“We realised that most of our customers — both corporates and individual — were struggling to dispose garbage and we decided to use our technology to solve this problem. We introduced a mobile application call VAYA Clean City, which helps families and corporate organizations get waste collected from their homes or offices and disposed, at the touch of a button,” he said.

“We also offer the service to hospitals, schools and various industrial premises, all the while working closely with the local authorities.”

Clean City’s unique venture comes at a time when many communities across Africa today are battling with health hazards threatening the safety and health of citizens, including mounting baggage, poor sanitation, a lack of clean water and mushrooming waste dumps.

Research has shown that weak waste collection systems in Africa, combined with uncontrolled dumping of waste often associated with open burning, are causing significant negative economic, social and environmental impacts.

Clean City, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Harare last year to allow the two parties to collaborate in service delivery in the capital, has so far collected waste from over one million households, and delivered over 50 million litres of water to vulnerable communities.

Mr Jojo urged citizens in the greater part of Harare to contact Clean City whenever they need to have their waste collected and disposed in an environmentally friendly manner.

“Individuals and corporates who want to use our garbage collection service can sign up for our monthly waste collection services at a very affordable fee, and can contact 0777222070 for more information,” he said.

The Cassava executive also encouraged medical institutions to make use of Clean City’s garbage collection services to gain access to convenient and safe means to dispose medical and pharmaceutical waste.

Clean City is not only limiting itself to the management of solid waste and providing potable water to urban dwellers, but is now also handling electronic waste (e-waste).

E-waste involves, among other things, the dumping of old and non-functioning information and communication technology products, such as computers, television sets, mobile phones, printers and refrigerators, which contain hazardous substances that pollute the environment and also expose people to diseases.

Mr Jojo said e-waste management has become a major challenge facing many African countries due to lack of awareness, environmental legislation and limited financial resources. Open dumping, burning and landfilling are the predominant disposal methods used in Africa, with potentially serious implications for the environment and for human health.

“We want the public to know that e-waste is not bio-degradable and it is in their interest and that of the environment to call Clean City, which has the capacity and adequate resources and equipment to handle e-waste, in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner,” he said.-chronicle.cl.zw