Hidden in plain sight: Malawi’s hazardous waste management challenges revealed
Executive summary
Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world, faces monumental challenges in managing hazardous waste. Despite its hidden nature, this problem threatens environmental degradation, public health and the economy. In recent years, the global community has witnessed a staggering exponential growth in the quantity and complexity of hazardous waste; this trend is expected to continue in the decades leading up to 2021. In this study titled "Hidden in plain sight: Malawi’s hazardous waste management challenges revealed," we study management and disposal models for Malawi’s hazardous waste sources that expose the country to critical risks.
An introductory overview
In June 2019, Transparency International ranked Malawi fifth in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Moreover, in 2023, the country ranked 20th after obtaining 35th place in the highest ranking. Malawi is still far from tackling the entrenched practice of corruption, which affects resource allocation and management decision-making systems. Hazardous wastes, such as e-waste, agricultural/chemical pesticides, automobile industry emissions, and waste rubber from scrap tires, remain either unregulated or without management and disposal infrastructure (in some cases, nevertheless).
Underestimated sources and problems
In Malawi; therefore, it is difficult to determine all sites, quantity, or disposal of improperly disposed hazardous waste without a larger data set. Although larger sources of industrial origin were not examined specifically in this study and in the absence of reliable sources of waste, one study suggests some categories including small amounts of electronic waste such as computers, telephones and a number of other miscellaneous technologies (which have the potential use of electronic components are useful) which have seen an increase in e-waste management up to e-waste management in a manner that we consider.
The concern is justified to the absence of national waste management policies.
Even though Malawi so far imports very little e-waste, it is becoming increasingly essential to deal with this type of waste (its composition and final remainder), for example due to a variety of circumstances who can make a meaningful distinction that Malawians know how to make. they handle toxic environmental damage (the environment, but their daily lives could see their health and well-being seriously damaged) and possibly irreversible.
Malawi faces an incredibly difficult struggle, especially when it comes to hazardous waste management, given certain factors that have slowed down the development efforts of government institutions. They (the government) are generally considered by many people, by citizens and by others, because those in power might have their own needs for office space for themselves as personal benefits , they work on the basis of personal gain, as there are many forms of opportunities to contribute meaningfully, hazardous waste management is not included in these opportunities.
Recommendation for action
The immediate recommendation to address the root cause of hazardous waste management (HM) is the necessary construction of an integrated program that is carefully designed and integrated into a national government agency management plan based on a platform infrastructure. solid shape that can be put into place more quickly. because at the moment there is a need; It is necessary to develop a regulatory instrument for all sectors and stakeholders of its government agencies to strictly comply with any related law, the use of enforcement tools is a better mechanism in which the best interests of the country by citizens.
Comments are closed