Nelson Mandela Bay: The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) has issued a strong appeal to residents and businesses to adhere to safe waste disposal protocols, particularly for hazardous materials. This call comes in the wake of the tragic death of a 13-year-old child, suspected to have ingested a poisonous substance from a refuse bag in Bluewater Bay.

According to South African Government News Agency, the city’s Waste Management Sub-Directorate, part of the Public Health Directorate, has launched a comprehensive awareness and engagement initiative to educate the public and businesses on managing hazardous waste safely. This initiative is part of the Separation at Source Programme (SSP), which aims to sort waste at its point of origin to prevent recyclable materials from ending up in landfills.

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Health, Thsonono Buyeye, emphasized the importance of this programme during a public meeting in Bluewater Bay. He outlined plans for public education sessions and door-to-door registration as part of the SSP’s second phase, focusing on hazardous waste.

The municipality is collaborating with waste pickers, households, businesses, and Nelson Mandela University (NMU) to enhance waste management practices. This partnership aims to reduce the risk of exposure to dangerous waste items and improve the safe disposal of hazardous substances.

Buyeye highlighted the engagement with businesses to educate them on separating recyclable and non-recyclable materials. This initiative seeks to limit waste reclaimers’ access to hazardous items and ensure that such substances are disposed of safely.

The collaboration with NMU is seen as a step towards leveraging academic expertise in environmental science, waste management, and chemical safety to refine the municipality’s waste disposal methods. Buyeye expressed hope that the university’s research would contribute to improving waste management practices, particularly in handling chemicals safely.