Waste – a Nuisance or a Resource?
Solid and liquid waste disposal are major issues for the ever-increasing population of Pemba. There are issues with generation, collection and disposal of wastes and there are no recycling facilities on the island.
Waste – a Nuisance or a Resource?
Solid and liquid waste disposal are major issues for the ever-increasing population of Pemba. There are issues with generation, collection and disposal of wastes and there are no recycling facilities on the island. Waste management is the responsibility of the District Council but even if waste is collected we have no idea where it goes as there are limited facilities. Even the tourism sector has no idea about the end-point for the waste they generate, and it is just as likely to end up in a ditch or burnt, as in a waste disposal facility!
For us at the Kwanini Foundation, everything starts with educating the local villagers. We began by having meetings with four villages on Pemba advising on the best practices for waste disposal and promoting a “Clean Your Village Campaign” to improve community collaboration. We regularly take part in beach cleaning at the Pagawatoro Beach adjacent to the Kwanini Marine Protected Area to remove plastic, discarded and abandoned fishing gear and other flotsam.
Much of the waste is organic and we have recently set up a composting scheme in collaboration with the Manta Report in an effort to reduce their waste footprint and provide a sustainable solution to a significant proportion of the waste generated by the resort. Its early days yet but we hope to show that the majority of food waste generated can be recycled into other uses and improve the shallow soils at the same time. Once we have a working pilot we aim to transfer the techniques to other villages to reduce the volume of solid waste.
Through our support and assistance, the Kwanini Foundation hopes to improve the knowledge and understanding of villagers about waste management, providing them with the tools they need for a more sustainable way of life.
Here’s how you can support:
Support a waste management study to find out what happens to the waste
Assist in developing low cost, sustainable and appropriate ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling
Donate towards our innovative plastic waste to energy project
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