Buea:Rain Against Irresponsible Waste Disposal

By MOFOR SAMUEL
Buea -Cameroon:The contravention of regulations governing the approval for plans for homes and other premises by architects, engineers, builders, house owners , proprietors, greedy local government authorities, town planners and policy makers, coupled with the allocation of any and every available space for the construction of human settlements, with little or no provision nor respect for drainage systems, sewer lines and the collection and disposal of solid waste often poses serious environmental problems.

Global warming in all its ramifications has led to unfavourable changes in weather systems. This has resulted to heavy rains, floods, erosion, worsened sanitation amongst others in some of our communities and settlements.

Residents in some quarters of Great Soppo and even beyond for some time now have known no sleep since the month of June came to its end. In fact rain water coming as run off, has declared an open war with residents in what this commentator will describe as ‘Back to Sender parcel’ to residents, as if to say their mail was not meant for that particular destination, as far as the irresponsible disposal of household waste is concerned.

It should be noted that this commentator had in one of his write ups sounded the alarm bell that the Community Graveyard in Great Soppo was being submerged by household waste. Apparently since no one dared to take any action, the rain is now paying residents in their own coins.

Fast running rain water through its erosive action is cutting off heavy chunks of solid waste from the mountain of garbage found on the cemetery in Great Soppo and distributing them systematically as it cascades down the slopes to the low land areas. No body is spared in this distribution. Landlords and other residents could be seen engaged in hot water as far as pointing of accusing fingers and victim blaming are concerned. Not even the chief’s palace in Great Soppo is spared by the onslaught of the fast running water and it load. Planlessness of recent has been widespread in some quarters of Great Soppo and even beyond. Even where plans exist, they are most often observed in the breach. For example landlords do not respect drainage systems and even sewer lines. The end result is just the ugly experiences that residents are currently witnessing with the arrival of the rains. But then is Great Soppo the only area that is faced with this problem of solid waste disposal?
Garbage disposal in most our communities pose a serious national problem which simply not go away and should be a matter of deep concern at every level of government.
How do we deal with the vast amount of waste which makes our urban and rural communities and settlement breeding ground for vermin and disease? How can the average Cameroonian be made to be conscious of the seriousness of environmental problems like improper human waste disposal, unsaved water supply and massive air pollution.

Mountains of refuse have become more or less permanent features of many of our towns and cities. Such a situation is intolerable and we must not tolerate it. The problem of garbage disposal has besieged us for so many years due to political constraints, corruption, inadequate manpower, maldeployment of staff, inadequate provision of materials as well as misguided inter professional conflicts, and ignorance – widespread ignorance as well as counterproductive cultural beliefs and practices constitute a major constraint in programmes, if any, for community mobilization for environmental health

Aware of the barriers on the path of winning the battle against filth, this write up seeks to highlight the need for every one to get involved in environmental sanitation – policy makers at all levels, individuals and communities, the media industry and the private sector, professional, cultural, religious, social organizations and clubs not leaving out the non governmental organizations.
Solid waste include garbage (house hold waste) papers, empty plastics and sachets, cartons, glass, scrap iron, old tyres etc. Industrial waste and hospitals waste are special forms of solid waste. Furthermore, the composition of waste varies from place to place – neighbourhoods within a town or city. It depends on food habits, cultural practices, the occupations and trade of the different people that make up the community or settlement. For example, the types of food that people eat determine the type of waste they produce. At one point in time, leaves were used to wrap most of the food sold or produced. Therefore leaves constituted about 80 percent of solid waste in most of our semi-urban and even urban settlements. Between 1990 and today, that is if this commentator’s judgment is not contested in any quarter, plastics have largely replaced leaves as food wrappers. These plastics are currently posing a very serious threat to the environment due to the irresponsible manner which they are being disposed of.

Indiscriminate disposal of solid waste without regard for hygiene or sanitation have become the order of the day. In rural areas as well as in towns and cities, on streets and highways, the story is the same: refuse everywhere and anywhere. Our markets, motor parks and other public facilities present very disgusting and nauseating sights. Mountains of refuse more or less form permanent features, blocking roads, drains and steams. Most of us pass by unmoved and unconcerned. We even sell, buy; cook and set up businesses in the midst of filth.

The health hazards caused by the indiscriminate disposal of solid waste are many and varied. Physical hazard include fires and injuries from sharp objects and broken bottles when people tread on them while dumping refuse, squatting to defecate on the refuse or scavenging. The resultant wounds are invariably contaminated and could lead to serious disease like tetanus, which could be fatal. The blockage of roads by refuse leads to traffic disorder and increases the risk of accidents. Blockage of drainage systems and streams leads to flooding which occasionally reaches disastrous proportions with loss of life and property.

Finally the indiscriminate disposal of solid waste leads to the transmission of diseases: cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, polio, hepatitis, worm infections etc. Solid waste dumps serves as breeding grounds for flies, mosquitoes, rats and other vermin, which are responsible for the transmission of malaria, yellow fever, trachoma etc.

It is very evident that we have developed a culture of filth. Such a culture is most unsatisfactory and if left unchecked, can lead to disaster. The prevailing situation and condition can be arrested and reverse if all of us want to.