Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. PLUMTREE Town Council has outlawed the use of human excreta and any other dangerous substances as fertilizers in growing of vegetables and edible plants in the local authority’s jurisdiction.
It further bans the planting of vegetables and edible plants along raw waste water or logged areas.
The by-law is enshrined in the latest Statutory Instrument 141 of 2025 [CAP. 29:15 Plumtree Town (Human Excreta and Dangerous Substances) By-laws, 2025.
“Human excreta and dangerous substances not to be used as fertilizer: no person shall use or allow it to be used as a fertilizer in growing vegetables and edible plants, human excreta or any other dangerous substance,” reads the by law.
“No person shall use raw waste water to irrigate vegetables and edible plants for use by human beings and animals.
“No person shall plant vegetables and edible plants along raw waste water flowing or logged areas.
“No person shall sell human excreta or waste water for use as a fertilizer.”
On the removal of vegetables and plants, the by-law states that a designated officer shall be entitled to slash or remove any vegetables and edible plants where the vegetables and edible plants are being grown using human excreta or dangerous substances as fertilizer, or the vegetables and edible plants are being irrigated by raw waste water, or the vegetables and edible plants have been planted on raw waste water flowing or logged areas.
“Any person who contravenes the provisions of these by-laws shall be liable to a fine specified in the Schedule,” the by-law reads.
The by-laws come at a time when there is a proliferation of flourishing vegetable gardens in many urban areas along the raw sewer water flowing areas.
Plumtree and Bulawayo have not been spared by this practice, culminating in the introduction of the by-law banning the practice in the border town.
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