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Uganda: 'Buveera Still a Challenge'
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New Vision (Kampala)
2 July 2008
Posted to the web 3 July 2008
Joshua Kato
Kampala
Plastics, especially polythene (buveera) are one of the leading environment hazards in Uganda. Although the Government banned the use of polythene bags of 30 microns and below, many people have continued using them. Millions of used buveera are visible in every locality, dangerously disposed of alongside other garbage. Joshua Kato talked to local leaders on how they handle buveera.
Peter Owiny, mayor Lira Municipality
Plastics are a very big problem for us. They block drainage systems and cause flooding. At the moment, we collect them with other garbage. We are in the process of constructing a new garbage recycling plant, which will handle buveera in a special way.
Wilson Tumwine, mayor Mbarara Municipality
We sort plastics from other garbage and store them. We hope to start recycling it. We have already sourced for the equipment and since it is expensive, we have contacted the Minister of State for Urban Planning to help us raise the funds. We also advise people to use paper bags instead of buveera and the response is good.
Christopher Acire, mayor Gulu Municipality
We have not yet found a solution for buveera. At the moment, we collect them with the other garbage.
Two weeks ago, a private company contacted us, wanting to buy used buveera and the council will discuss this issue and come up with a resolution.
Alhajji Nasser Ssebagala, mayor Kampala city
Garbage is wealth, if handled well. Kampala city produces 1,500 tonnes of garbage every day. But because of our meagre resources, we can only collect little of it. Buveera certainly constitute a big amount of this garbage. It is because of buveera that so many drainage systems in the city are blocked. In my manifesto, I said this garbage could be recycled and used to make electricity. I still have these plans and I have already contacted several stakeholders to effect them. We also welcome views from people on how to manage buveera. At the moment, buveera are collected, together with other garbage and taken to the land refill at Kiteezi.
Elijah Kagoda, LC5 chairman Kaliro district
Our environment department was tasked to fight buveera. They sensitise residents on how to separate buveera from other garbage and the response is good. At the moment, we do not have many buveera in circulation and our efforts are ongoing.
William Dada, chairman Koboko district
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Buveera is a big problem to us. However, our environment officers are sensitising the masses about proper ways of disposing of buveera. We advise residents and the garbage collectors to separate buveera from other garbage so that they use the garbage as manure in their farms. Sometimes the heaps are burnt to reduce their impact. Although this is also not the proper way of disposal, it is the only option available to us at the moment.
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