KIWATULE —Uganda Biodiversity Fund (UBF) and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) have engaged in plastic cleanup of Kiwatule slums with an intent to sensitize people about the bad of plastic pollution and how to get rid of it.
Heads of NEMA and UBF collaborated with the leadership of Kiwatule and locals to make this practice a success.
Plastic pollution is a growing environmental concern worldwide. Plastic waste can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, posing a significant threat to wildlife, soil quality, and human health.
Mr. Ivan Amaanigaruhanga, the UBF Executive Director said there is hope as many organizations and individuals are taking action to reduce plastic pollution.
“In Uganda, it seems we are losing the battle against plastic. If you look around Kiwatule, there’s plastic in different forms, drainage channels are being blocked and therefore, this is posing a challenge to us,” he said.
Amaanigaruhanga explained that no matter how much they preach against plastics, people still buy soft drinks in plastics and dispose of
them everywhere well knowing that these plastics will not decompose.
“Most of the challenges we have to do with flooding, and soil fertility loss have a linkage to plastics that we use and how we misuse them. Therefore it’s a rallying call to all of us to come out and play our part in getting rid of this challenge,” Amaanigaruhanga said.
He said his organization will raise resources to support all actors that are working against plastic production and use.
He asked the government to move very fast towards getting the policy framework on handling plastics.
Mr. Francis Ogwal, the NEMA Senior Manager, Environment Planning and Coordination, told journalists that the plastic clean-up gesture is part of the activities to make the World Environment Day 2023, themed: ‘Stop Plastic Pollution Now’.
“We are here to demonstrate to communities the benefits we get from removing plastics which we often see just people keep littering everywhere.” Francis Ogwal said
Mr Ogwal added that plastics are bringing more problems than the solutions people think they get.
He urged people to stay away from plastics such that the environment becomes more conducive for us to live in.
