NEMA takes waste management campaign to Eastern Uganda

KAMPALA – The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) ‘Yonja Uganda’ anti-litter and waste management campaign reached the districts of Buikwe, Mbale and Tororo, mid-February.
The campaign, which sensitized and engaged the public in sustainable waste management practices, also involved spot checks on public passenger vehicles to ascertain whether they had waste bins. The activities started Tuesday, 13th February, 2024 with a clean-up of Namawojjolo Roadside Market in Buikwe District.
On Wednesday, 14th February, the NEMA Executive Director, Dr. Barirega Akankwasah led his team, together with the city and district leaders in cleaning Mbale City; while the day that followed, Thursday February 15th, NEMA was in Tororo Municipality. The anti-litter and waste management campaign has already been conducted in the districts of Kalungu and Masaka.
Objectives of the Campaign
The drive is planned to be taken to other parts of the country along the year; with the following objectives:
• To communicate and raise awareness about the main litter and waste management issues in both urban and rural communities
• To encourage citizens to adopt sustainable waste management practices during their day-to-day activities
• To promote public participation in addressing litter and waste management challenges
• To do spot checks on public vehicles such as taxis and buses on whether they have and use waste bins on board
• To impound public passenger vehicles without waste receptacles
• To arrest and prosecute anybody found littering or faulting any environmental law
Polluters to pay for their waste
NEMA is mooting an ambitious plan that is hoped to manage waste in urban settings across the country.
Speaking during the campaign in Mbale, Dr. Akankwasah said the environment watchdog has embarked on sensitisation campaign dubbed ‘Yonja Uganda’ to encourage citizens to adopt sustainable waste management practices during their day-to-day activities.
“The first point is to ensure that we sort the waste at the generation point at the homestead level, the shop, factory, supermarket and then the industrial site. That’s where we must sort the waste, putting plastics alone, organic waste of food refuse alone, glass alone metals alone, and then we can find use for the waste.”
He believes if proper sorting infrastructures are installed at various generation and collections centres, the country should be able to easily manage waste.
Dr. Akankwasah said that new law and other measures being enforced by NEMA will make the biggest polluters pay for pollution through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). EPR encourages companies that manufacture, import, or sell polyethylene phthalate products and packaging to bear financial and physical responsibility for their products throughout their lifecycle.
“The policy and the law are very clear. Whoever generates waste must be responsible for it,” Dr. Akankwasah explained.
He urged waste generators to enter into partnerships to improve the recycling value chain, shift behaviors and attitudes towards recycling, and develop recycling policies.
EPR was signed into legislation in Uganda with the National Environment Act, 2019 and NEMA is currently developing the National Environment (Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and related single-use items) Regulations.
More is needed
Continuous consumer and public education and awareness activities are required to promote environmental responsibility and encourage recycling of waste.