Arua City moots plan for recycling plant to manage plastic waste

ARUA, UGANDA: Arua City Council plans to establish a plastic waste recycling plant in a move to manage increased plastic waste in the city.

The plant is part of the one-year inclusive climate action project funded by the Global Cities Fund (GCF) for Migrants and Refugees, under the Mayor’s Migration Council (MMC), a mayor-led advisory and advocacy organization.

Last year, Arua was selected among five cities in Africa to benefit from the USD 200,000 Us dollars (about UGX 740 million) Mayor’s Migration Council project which seeks to strengthen the capacity of the city to sustainably manage plastic waste and promote institutional greening.

Mary Dawaru, the Arua City Senior Environment Officer who also doubles as the project leader said that the process of procuring the plant is ongoing, and once established the plant is expected to employ both migrants and refugees within the city.

Godfrey Apangu, the Arua City Health Inspector explained that plastics constituted the third biggest volume of waste generated on monthly basis in Arua City.

Apangu said the poor waste management practice among dwellers has increased their cost of managing waste.

Under the same project, the city intends to plant 10,000 trees in 35 public institutions and five government health facilities within the city.

Raymond Ombere, the Arua Principal Education Officer said that they decided to incorporate institutions in the project in order to inculcate the culture of greening among the learners through environmental clubs.

Sam Wadri Nyakua, the Arua city mayor appealed to the dwellers to join hands and support this project and ensure the city is free of plastic waste.

“Environment is a cross-cutting issue which needs everyone’s intervention through proactive initiatives”, he noted.

Poor disposal of plastic bottles is a common problem in most Urban centres in Uganda which often results in flooding since they block drainage channels.

In 2022, research by the World Climate Schools Uganda chapter revealed that more than 75% of used plastic bottles end up in landfills, lakes, and rivers, which is seriously damaging to the environment.