Africa-Press – Mozambique. The city of Maputo and its outskirts have recently registered a spike in garbage container fires, a practice which often results in the destruction of the containers.
The fires, either deliberate or accidental, mostly occur in metal containers, and less frequently in plastic ones. In the densest-populated parts of Maputo and its surroundings, women can often be seen making meals or roasting cobs on charcoal stoves and later depositing the ashes in the bins.
The Municipal Director of Environment and Health in Maputo, Sérgio Manhique, said that campaigns were underway to persuade citizens to abandon these practices, which cost the city a significant amount of money.
“We are sensitising people to avoid these harmful practices. At the same time, we launched tenders for companies to collect garbage and to put out fires when notified,” he said.
According to Manhique, fires are more frequent in winter, with many started by homeless people to fight the cold at night.
Despite the persistence of fires, the Municipal Directorate of Environment and Health in the city of Maputo states that there has been a slight slowdown compared to previous years, when fires in containers were reported daily.
Municipal authorities say that around 1,200 tons of garbage are collected daily in the city.
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