Fast-food outlets urged to preserve environment

FOOD outlets and drink producers across the country have been urged to ensure proper disposal of their litter in order to preserve the environment.

The call was made last Friday by Environment minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu during a national clean-up campaign at Save business centre in Chiredzi East.

Ndlovu said the focus of all national cleanup programmes should be rural areas and growth points.

"Let me emphasise the need for the business community to embrace the cradle to cradle principle, in which producers and retailers follow through the life cycle of their products from manufacture to recycling, as opposed to the cradle to the grave (concept) whose final port of call is disposal," Ndlovu said.

"Today, I have seen litter from food outlets. We want these companies to follow their litter so that we protect our environment.

"Secularity and mutual symbiosis remains a key vehicle to ensuring recycling, remaking, repurposing, and, therefore, achieving zero waste in the environment."

The event was attended by senior government officials, Chiredzi East MP Denford Masiya and several dignitaries from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the Environmental Management Agency.