Herald Reporter RUWA Local Board has intensified efforts to improve solid waste management through the introduction of a waste separation at source programme, with Silverbrook and Windsor Park earmarked as…
Herald Reporter
RUWA Local Board has intensified efforts to improve solid waste management through the introduction of a waste separation at source programme, with Silverbrook and Windsor Park earmarked as the first communities to participate in the initiative.
The local authority held an engagement meeting with Rutanhi, a recycling company operating in Ruwa, residents of Silverbrook and its technical team on Tuesday, as it moves to strengthen recycling, reduce waste destined for disposal sites and promote a cleaner environment.
The meeting was attended by Ruwa Mayor Councillor Michael Mataruka, council technical officials, representatives of Rutanhi and residents.
The programme will require households to separate recyclable materials from general waste before collection, enabling recyclable materials to be recovered and channelled into the recycling value chain.
Mayor Mataruka said the initiative represented an important step towards transforming the way residents viewed waste and ensuring that recyclable material was treated as a resource rather than discarded.
“Waste management is no longer simply about collecting refuse and taking it to a disposal site. We have to change the way we manage waste from the point where it is generated, and that means involving every household,” he said.
“By separating waste at source, we can recover valuable recyclable materials, reduce the amount of waste that requires disposal and create a cleaner and healthier environment for our residents.”
The Mayor said the success of the programme would depend on cooperation between residents, council and private-sector recycling partners.
“We are starting with Silverbrook and Windsor Park so that we can educate residents, learn from the implementation process and strengthen the programme before expanding it to other areas of Ruwa,” he said.
“We want residents to understand what should be separated, how it should be stored and how the recyclable materials will enter the recycling chain. This is not a programme for council alone; it is a partnership with the community.”
The initiative comes as Zimbabwe continues to promote sustainable waste management, recycling and waste reduction as part of efforts to address growing environmental challenges.
EMA is mandated to regulate and monitor waste collection, disposal, treatment and recycling, while the Environmental Management Act requires waste generators to take measures to minimise waste through treatment, reclamation and recycling.
EMA has also continued to promote waste separation at source and recycling, including through recent programmes aimed at increasing recycling and supporting a circular economy.
Ruwa Local Board itself has previously worked with EMA to address illegal dumping and clear waste dumps across the town. In 2024, the local authority said 19 dumps had been cleared following the declaration of a State of Disaster on emergency solid waste management in Harare Metropolitan Province. Council and EMA also undertook public awareness programmes on proper waste disposal.
The local authority’s planning documents have identified solid waste management as a critical issue for Ruwa, citing challenges including inadequate disposal infrastructure, illegal dumping and the need for enhanced public awareness, recycling and an integrated solid waste management approach.
Ruwa Local Board’s engineering department is responsible for liquid and solid waste management as part of its mandate to provide essential municipal services.
Mayor Mataruka said the separation-at-source initiative would complement other measures being undertaken by council to improve waste management.
“We want to build a culture where residents understand that the waste generated in their homes has value. Plastics, paper, cardboard, metals, glass and other recyclable materials can be recovered instead of being mixed with general waste and sent for disposal,” he said.
“This will help us reduce pressure on our disposal systems while supporting recycling and the creation of economic opportunities along the waste value chain.”
Rutanhi already has an established recycling presence in Ruwa, including a buy-back centre through which post-consumer materials can be collected, sorted and prepared for recycling. The company has been involved in recycling partnerships involving post-consumer Tetra Pak cartons, with recovered material being processed for recycling.
The engagement therefore provides an opportunity to link household-level waste separation with existing recycling infrastructure and markets.
Council is expected to educate residents in the pilot areas on the appropriate separation of recyclable and non-recyclable waste before the programme is expanded.
Mayor Mataruka urged residents to embrace the programme and make waste separation part of their daily household practices.
“A clean Ruwa cannot be achieved by council alone. It starts with what happens in every household, every business and every public space,” he said.
“We are calling upon our residents to take ownership of this programme. If we all separate waste correctly and dispose of it responsibly, we will have a cleaner Ruwa, reduce environmental pollution and contribute to a more sustainable town.”
The initiative is also in line with Ruwa Local Board’s broader vision of developing a town of excellence by 2030 through sustainable urban development, responsive service delivery and community participation.
The council has urged residents in Silverbrook and Windsor Park to cooperate with officials and recycling partners during the initial rollout, saying community participation will be critical to determining the success and eventual expansion of the programme.
