HAZARDOUS WASTE PROGRAMME KICKED OFF
Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) together with Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, (DFFE) Swe-dish Environmental Protection Agency (Swedish EPA) and Gästrike Återvinnare (GA) launched the Household Hazardous Waste Pilot Project on the 17 February in Amalinda.

The main purpose of this pilot project is to assist the City to develop a suitable mech-anism for collection and management of hazardous waste generated from the households.


Giving an overview about the purpose of the day, General Manager for Solid Waste Nomphelo Daniels said, "The Swedish Environ-ment Protection Agency has identified Buffalo City Metro as the place to implement the pilot on solid waste management. When this project was introduced to the department, we grabbed it with both hands because we felt we can use this project to take advantage of our waste challenges."


Adding to that, the Swedish Environment Protection Agency Per-Olof Hallberg speaks on the project overview, "We are very happy to see this project materialize. We have been working very hard to make sure this project happens. Sweden and South Africa have always had strong ties in collaboration. This project is aimed at helping the community. We are happy to see so many different stakeholders joining forces, working together on this project.”


Household hazardous waste includes medical waste, cleaning products, lights, paints, batteries, electronics lights, insect repellent and other mercury containing products. Daniels cautioned residents about the dangers of throwing hazardous waste at inappro-priate locations. “Don't pour household hazard waste down the drain.”


The household hazardous waste includes medical waste, cleaning products, paints, batteries, electronics, Solid Waste Manage-ment Services together with Swedish delegation will be visiting primary schools in the piloted areas in the following week to beef up awareness of this project. Amalinda, Beacon Bay and Duncan Village are identified as pilot areas where this project will take place.
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2022-02-21