Meshia Mambo<\/p>\n
Government has launched a validation workshop to test a draft communication strategy on persistent organic pollutants in plastic products nationwide.<\/p>\n
The draft was reviewed during a meeting in Harare where experts joined to discuss and refine how the public, industry and communities will be informed about the risks of these<\/p>\n
chemicals.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot solve a problem that people do not know about, and that is why today\u2019s workshop is important,\u201d said Acting Deputy Director for Environmental Quality Angella<\/p>\n
Meris Kabira, who opened the gathering on behalf of the Permanent Secretary for Environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis workshop seeks to strengthen information sharing on (persistent organic pollutants) and chart how stakeholders across sectors can collaborate on developing lasting solutions,\u201d she<\/p>\n
added.<\/p>\n
The workshop supports the Circular and POPs-Free Plastics in Africa Project, a five-year regional initiative that seeks to cut the import, production and use of persistent organic<\/p>\n
pollutants in plastics.<\/p>\n
Kabira said Zimbabwe was proud to be an executing agency alongside Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda.<\/p>\n
She described the pollutants as \u201cpersistent toxic chemicals that bioaccumulate in living organisms and contaminate our soil, our water and food chain.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout proper management and end of life traceability, recycling or disposing of (plastics containing these pollutants) simply redistributes this hazard across ecosystems,\u201d she warned.<\/p>\n
She said the project directly advances National Development Strategy 2 and \u201creinforces NDS 2\u2019s core emphasis on sustainable manufacturing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAligning regional circular economy interventions with Zimbabwe\u2019s national policy frameworks ensures that economic growth under Vision 2030 remains clean, climate resilient and socially inclusive,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe draft communication and implementation strategy, which we will validate, will help us raise awareness about (these pollutants) and their risks, share clear and useful information<\/p>\n
with all stakeholders.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe strategy must, therefore, speak to the stakeholders across the construction sectors, manufacturers, our importers, recyclers, waste collectors, policy makers, schools and communities,\u201d said Kabira.<\/p>\n
\u201cI encourage all of you here today to interrogate the draft rigorously and offer constructive feedback to ensure that the strategy is robust, contextually relevant and actionable for Zimbabwe,\u201d she urged delegates.<\/p>\n
She hailed the United Nations Environment Programme and the Basel Convention Coordinating Centre in Nigeria \u201cfor their continued technical and financial support.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy ministry remains committed to this project and to ensuring a cleaner, safer and healthier environment for all.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Meshia Mambo Government has launched a validation workshop to test a draft communication strategy on persistent organic pollutants in plastic products nationwide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6651,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[1428,1427,1426],"class_list":["post-6650","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news-zimbabwe","tag-angella-meris-kabira","tag-environmental-quality","tag-pops-free-plastics-in-africa-projec"],"yoast_head":"\n