Chirundu pupils take to picking used plastic bottles – without realising the health hazards the practice posed

Written by on May 4, 2019

LILLIAN CHIKANDI writes

THE increase in the number of pupils in Chirundu going round the streets to pick up used plastic bottles and drinking what has been left inside by unknown people has raised serious health concern in the local community.


One of the concerned resident Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chirundu manager Ms Kaku Mvula said it was worrying that school-going children had taken to picking used plastics bottle from street without realizing the health hazards.


Ms Mvula said that she had always been calling on the stakeholders to act because the practice was a health hazard and source of concern.
She reached to an extent of capturing videos through her office window of children sharing drinks from bottles picked from the garbage pit.


She saw another child opening bins and collecting bottles from the Chirundu shopping mall and posted the videos on the Chirundu Development Forum WhatsApp group.
Ms Mvula has called on the stakeholders to put heads together and find a lasting solution to the problem.


Meanwhile, Chirundu district council secretary Mr John Mwanza has said his council had nothing to do with the problem.
He then reacted “You want council workers to go and stop them? The mall has security and the children have parents,
“Furthermore, the video taker has to wait for council to act and couldn’t advise management at the mall. Be part of the solution and not the problem”.


And Chirundu district health senior environment officer Mr Godwin Munsanje said everyone was free to discourage the practice.
Mr Munsanje said everyone had a role to play and together should make a difference.


But Ms Mvula said she is shocked with the reaction because the practice was very worrying matter.
She said the council, health department, social welfare all needed to come in and the rest would follow suit.


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