LCC develops first ever Waste Management Plan
In an attempt to achieve a clean and environmentally sustainable city, Lilongwe City Council (LCC) has developed a Solid Waste Management Plan to enhance enforcement of the laws and by-laws governing solid waste management in the city.
The plan will also facilitate the implementation of the recently launched National Waste Management Strategy.
The Solid Waste Management Plan is deemed as a key strategy the council is undertaking in its desperate move to address challenges of increased waste generation and illegal dumping in the city.
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe (CCJP Lilongwe) in partnership with Oxfam Malawi have facilitated the development of the plan under the ‘Strengthening collaborative governance on planning for and managing cities’ project, which is being financed by Tilitonse Foundation.
LCC Assistant Director of Health-Cleansing Services Thokozani Mkaka said the development of the plan is milestone in the management of waste in the city.
Mkaka disclosed that rapid population growth and increased urbanization has resulted in increased waste generation and increased pressure on the level of service the city can deliver to its residents.
“Lilongwe as a city is passing through greatest challenges in managing waste. This management of waste is not only affected due to the issues of human and resource capacity, but also absence of guiding documents on how that waste can be managed,” he said.
He said the plan will also address the problem of illegal dumping in the city.
According to Mkaka, LCC spends about K80 million per annum on clearing illegal dumping, which is said to be a result of high costs of collection, transportation and disposal of waste.
CCJP Lilongwe Archdiocesan Coordinator Enock Kamundi Phiri said the major objective of their project is to contribute towards improved sanitation and hygiene in the city.
