State says waging fierce war against hazardous waste

THE government has vowed to intensify measures and chart earnest strategies for facilitating proper disposal of hazardous gadgets.

Tanzania imports between 18,000 and 19,000 tonnes of computers, chargers and mobile phones every year.

The Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office, Environment and Union Affairs, Mr January Makamba, told reporters yesterday that his office had tasked the Tanzania Bureau of Standard (TBS) to ensure that the market hosted only quality and standard electronic devices, to reduce the volume of electric waste and environmental degradation.

He said in March 16, this year, the government issued electronic garbage collection licences to 16 companies,pointing out that the measure was intended to reduce environmental risks and ensure safe disposable process.

“So far there are no collection points; ask yourself how many mobile chargers you buy within a year, and where you disposed them; this is just an example of how they flood the environment; thereby polluting it,” he said.

The minister was reacting to a Controller and Audi- tor General’s report on failure to handle hazardous electronic garbage.

He added that the government had been offering capacity building training to electronic garbage collectors so that the exercise could be conducted effectively.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Water and Irrigation, Eng Isac Kamwelwe, said the government was closely working on a policy that would help to address the sewerage and environmental cleanness issues. Eng Kamwelwe was also clarifying some issues that were raised in the 2016/17 CAG report.

The CAG report point- ed out that Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Mbeya, Mwanza, Songea and Tanga water sup- ply authorities had not been discharging their obligations properly until then.

He said that their performance had improved, especially after the government had assured them of reliable water supply.

“Under the Water Sector Development Project which ended in June 2017, priority was on the supply of clean and safe water services in urban areas by 78 per cent from the 50 per cent’ we have managed to meet the target,” he said