Godfrey Mtimba
Masvingo—Stakeholders have hailed the Masvingo City Council (MCC) for launching a plastic and can waste recycling programme that will be implemented in partnership with a private recycling company, Marking Torch Zimbabwe.
The initiative forms part of the local authority’s broader Integrated Solid Waste Management and Environmental Sustainability Strategy.
The programme follows a City Council resolution passed in September last year to move away from traditional waste management approaches in favour of an integrated solid waste management system that embraces sustainable waste solutions aimed at environmental protection.
“The programme is being implemented in collaboration with Marking Torch Zimbabwe, a licensed waste recycling entity.
The project is scheduled to commence on 1 February 2026, following the finalisation of operational arrangements and community sensitisation activities,” said Mayor Aleck Tabe.
Marking Torch Zimbabwe is a locally registered and licensed waste recycling company operating in several urban centres across the country, with a focus on plastic recovery, segregation, and downstream recycling.
The company works with local authorities and communities to establish buy-back centres and structured collection systems aimed at reducing landfill waste while creating income opportunities for households and informal waste pickers. Its operations are regulated under national environmental management standards.
Under the initiative, residents will be able to collect and sell segregated recyclables at Council-designated collection points operated jointly by MCC and its partner.
The Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) has commended the initiative, saying it directly tackles the scourge of plastic litter, makes the city visibly cleaner, and reduces environmental toxins, thereby protecting public health.
“Aligning with our advocacy for a sustainable smart city, the programme fosters a culture of responsible waste management. Crucially, we see this as a vital pro-poor intervention. By creating a formal market for plastic waste, it will provide a tangible income stream for residents, cooperatives, and waste pickers,” said MURRA chairperson, Tinashe Mbetu.
He added that the additional income would empower communities, improve household resilience, and enhance residents’ capacity to meet their rate obligations.
The recyclables to be collected include aluminium cans, LDPE, PP, HDPE, and PET plastics.
Examples include containers for mahewu, Domestos, sterilised milk, Jik, yoghurt, bottled water, Chibuku Super, fizzy drinks, sugar, dovi, cling wrap, and cardboard.
“This approach is expected to significantly reduce plastic litter, illegal dumping, and the blockage of storm-water drains, thereby improving urban cleanliness, public health, and environmental quality,” Tabe added.
By diverting plastic waste from landfills and open spaces, the project contributes directly to reducing environmental pollution and supports climate-resilient urban management.
Tabe said the programme is fully aligned with Council public health and environmental by-laws, particularly those governing waste management, the prevention of environmental nuisances, and the protection of water sources.
In addition, Masvingo, the country’s first urban settlement, has enhanced waste separation through the installation of colour-coded bins as a practical and cost-effective strategy for improving solid waste management and urban cleanliness.
The colour-coded bins provide a simple visual guide that enables residents, traders, and institutions to separate waste at source into categories such as organic waste and recyclables. This reduces contamination, improves recycling efficiency, and lowers the volume of waste requiring disposal.
The introduction of clearly labelled green (organic), blue (recyclable) and black (residual) bins in markets, residential areas, schools, and public spaces is expected to significantly improve waste handling practices.