Hulene landfill in Maputo still has capacity for more waste, says municipality
Despite the vast amounts of garbage strewn across Maputo, the city's municipality asserts that the Hulene landfill, the largest in the capital, still has enough capacity to accommodate more waste. However, access difficulties are recognized.
Sérgio Manhique, the Municipal Director of Environment and Sanitation in Maputo, mentioned on public television about managing solid waste at the landfill, which now threatens to encroach onto Julius Nyerere Avenue.
Manhique explained that the current issue is accessing the available space, estimated to be about the size of two football fields. “The main problem is how to get there, but what we are doing is preparing the access routes. We still have space for waste deposition. However, when it rains, there is a significant accumulation of rainwater,” he said.
Regarding the closure of the landfill, Manhique mentioned that no dates are set, but studies are underway in Catembe for constructing a new sanitary landfill.
Environmental expert Rui Silva, interviewed by the Tower, acknowledged the complexity of the waste situation in Mozambique, emphasizing that in Maputo, the issue is directly linked to the Hulene landfill.
Besides Maputo, Silva also finds the waste situation in other major cities, like Nampula, excessive and concerning.
Last week, as reported by the Tower, the President of the Republic commented on the matter, stating that the excess of garbage in cities is not the municipality's fault but that of the residents themselves.
Nevertheless, it remains surprising that municipalities have not developed a concrete and precise plan for waste collection, especially as municipal mayors are approaching the end of their terms.
