Ugandans urged to embrace waste sorting ahead of National Cleaning Day

What the report says

The Ministry of Health has called on Ugandans to sort household and workplace waste before disposal, saying the practice can reduce the volume of garbage sent to dumpsites and improve recycling. The appeal was made ahead of National Cleaning Day, which is observed on the last Saturday of every month, during a waste-sorting demonstration at Kulambiro Market in Nakawa West, Kampala, according to The Independent Uganda.

Permanent Secretary Dr. Diana Atwine said Uganda still trails many countries in organized waste management and urged residents to separate plastics, paper, glass, metal and organic waste at the point of generation. She discouraged burning plastics, warning that it can harm health and the environment. She also advised people to keep hazardous items such as medicines and electronic waste out of ordinary household rubbish.

Kampala Capital City Authority public health director Dr. Sarah Zalwango said digital tools, including the Weyonje app and the Towa Uchafu na Nusu platform, are intended to help residents find licensed collectors and recyclers. KCCA is also mapping waste entrepreneurs across the city, while licensed waste firms are expected to sensitize communities about sorting at source and reducing the load sent to the Buyala disposal site.

Waste-management companies used the event to promote the economic value of segregated materials, saying recyclables can be bought and channelled into processing plants. The broader message, echoed by officials and collectors, was that sorting waste should become a routine habit beyond the monthly cleanup campaign.