By Idarus Pajobo    
  
Arua

The miss management of plastic wastes in Arua city has raised concerns among a section of stake holders saying it increases chances of floods and reducing the soil fertility.

Mr. Apangu Godfrey the health inspector spoke to radio Pacis on the dangers of poor plastic waste management “As you can visibly see, our homes, neighborhoods and town is surrounded by plastics be it ‘polythene’ bags, bottles and sacks, there concentration levels are so high they take hundreds of years to decompose obviously here we cannot avoid pollutions with plastics, soil nutrients being affected, obstruction of water ways. Of course when plastics pile hips into a road drain, it blocks the water flow. When rains comes it floods everywhere.”      

Francis Oguta the manager of dikiber company limited contracted by the city to manage cabbage in the city said that, the local people should embrace managing plastics in the city. “Cleaning of the city is supposed to be a collective responsibility if we assume it’s the work of the city council, we are doing a disservice to ourselves. People please let’s embrace that because at the end of the day, we are the ones stepping on these plastics, some end up in water bodies yet we are the ones using the water. Most people even depend on river ‘Enyawu’ here. If we continue polluting it, we are putting our lives at risk. So there should be a collective responsibility by all, not only the city council. The council is coming up with a program to help in managing the plastics by putting bins on the street.” Pleaded Francis.  

Atizuyo Molly a garbage collector in the city complained of people disposing plastics carelessly without considering its effects. “In this town everyone does not manage these plastics well, we have bins for keeping the plastics on the road sides but people throw the polythene bags irresponsibly.” Molly complained.
It is estimated that at least 600 tons of plastics are consumed every day in Uganda and all these bottles and plastic bags are disposed irresponsibly with a high percentage of 85%.

COVER PHOTO: A garden stuffed with polythene bags(Kaveera) in Arua city By Idarus Pajobo