Zimbabwe has witnessed an unprecedented rise in the volume of vehicular traffic on the roads. This has also increased road carnage and caused traffic jams in major towns and cities. The life span of second-hand cars is limited, and they succumb to old age and break down and fail to see the light of day any more. Since time immemorial, the human race has not stopped reproduction, albeit at a fast rate. Ways of caring for the young have also evolved with the times the world over. The use of diapers has come in handy but manifested a problem. Abandoned vehicles and diapers constitute a type of urban waste requiring specialised attention.

Car dump problem

At face value, every household car might point to development. But in the long term, it is a threat to the environment. Most cars are cheap second-hand imports. At the heart of all bliss and convenience of second-hand cars is that they negatively impact the environment in a disastrous way. It would not be so much an issue if they were easily disposable.

The vehicles imported from overseas range from private cars, commuter omnibuses, buses and haulage trucks. And the question that begs an answer is whether Africa and Zimbabwe are favoured to receive the bulk of second-hand imports, or is it simply a convenient dumping ground for toxic and environmentally unfriendly materials.

Firstly, most used cars coming into the country are old and have less efficient engines, with ageing technology compared to newer vehicles. As a result, used cars cause more air pollution than new cars. Secondly, these old vehicles emit higher amounts of greenhouse toxins into the atmosphere and can emit harmful gases such as sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides. Thirdly, they come with high mileage and outdated technology. This makes them susceptible to breakdown. Most vehicles do not last more than five years after being bought. Repairing these grey imports, as imported cars are referred to, has proved difficult for many second-hand car owners. And this has led to thousands of used imported cars lying idle in backyards, scrap yards, driveways, roadsides, alleys and open spaces taking up swathes of land for productive use. Some of these abandoned cannibalised shells become breeding grounds for vices such as rats that may spread diseases.

The rate of breakdowns has seen hundreds of irreparable cars dumped through improper channels. There are no stipulated environmentally friendly and suitable ways of disposal. There are no punitive ways for the responsible local authorities to deal with such issues. The regulations governing most local authorities are still rooted in the colonial era. Many countries including, Zimbabwe, are sitting on an environmental time bomb.

Car metals, rubber and waste fluids must be discharged through proper channels. Yet the country does not have treatment facilities required to recycle. Recovery of the spent used second-hand cars and safe disposal of the numerous pollutants associated with motor vehicles is essential. Most of the damaged and irreparable vehicles are left to rust on the roadside, scrap yards alleys, backyards and open spaces. They discharge tonnes and tonnes of oil, brake fluid, and other pollutants into the environment and water bodies. Besides emitting carbon dioxide which traps heat in the atmosphere causing temperatures to rise and harmful air pollutants that result in respiratory infections, heart diseases and cancer.

There is a need to create room for waste management enterprises specialising in recycling the material used to make cars and re-use it for other purposes. It is not a matter of revenue collection through import duty but also focusing on its constitutional obligation to guarantee citizens' rights to a safe environment.

Diapers and pampers everywhere

The landscape is littered with disposed pampers. Tantamount to the disposal of faecal matter in open spaces. Children are being born every day and the use of pampers will be with us in the long run. Pampers have become an eyesore as mounds of the dumps are a scene everywhere. People are disposing of Pampers with more reckless abandon than before.

Pampers are easy to use and affordable, but they can cause outbreaks of diseases. The unregulated disposal of pampers is a health risk. Disposable diapers contain absorbent chemicals and remain un-biodegraded in the disposal sites. Improper disposal of this nitrogenous waste is a factor in the spread of infectious diseases. Diapers take 500 years to decompose, in addition to a huge carbon footprint and greenhouse gases. Cloth Napkins have proved unmatched as they ensure proper disposal of faecal matter and safe environments. In African countries, it is taboo to dispose of children's faecal matter in open spaces to prevent young children from falling sick. Although some other companies have reusable diapers to reduce waste, the problem is far from solved.

Solution

By engaging private players who can invest in waste management enterprises the dilemma can be solved. This would help the country effectively deal with waste from dumped vehicles, and pampers to save the environment from pollution. At the same time, this would create employment. A long-term solution is setting up car assembling plants in the country for used second-hand cars. By doing this, citizens will purchase affordable and more environmentally friendly vehicles than used cars. Effective waste management is now more important than ever.

Stringent local regulations should regulate buying, use and disposal of diapers. Waste management is not a problem in wealthy countries, as they have well-developed ways of managing waste. Many governments facing similar problems of disposing of second-hand car waste can emulate the Egyptian model, "Egypt Vehicle Scrapping and Recycling Program". Vehicles over 40 years old and taxis and microbuses that are 20 years of age will not be eligible for a new operating license or license renewal. The Zimbabwean government has tried to ban the importation of second-hand cars unsuccessfully by limiting the age of cars brought into the country.

Waste management systems have failed to take root and run as waste accumulation happens daily. Despite many ways to deal with this menace, recycling waste systems are only a pipe dream. Local and City fathers need to improve solid waste management systems. There is no funding towards establishing and setting up waste management plants and disposal as it is cost-intensive. The poor economy makes it a luxury to channel funds towards such an initiative. The agencies mandated to monitor the regulations to supervise the environment, like the Environmental Management Agency, lack the resources to conduct effective spot checks for emissions and proper disposal of waste and punitive ways to deal with offenders. Local authorities have failed to proffer viable solutions to the menace by properly disposing of the waste. Areas inundated with all types of waste have gone uncollected for a long time. The local authority and Environmental Management Agency need to come together and map ways to deal with waste accumulating in the cities. The health ministry, Local authority and Environmental Management Authority need to come together to craft all-encompassing regulations to deal with these menaces for safer and cleaner environments. For now, it is only talk without any action.