By Florence Okpeti
As the world marks World Cleanup Day, environmental advocates, communities and organisations have on Sept 16, renewed calls for collective efforts to address waste pollution and promote cleaner and healthier surroundings.
Observed annually in Sept. 20, World Cleanup Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the growing challenge of waste while encouraging individuals, businesses, schools and governments to adopt practical measures to keep their environments clean.
In many communities, improper waste disposal remains a major environmental concern, with refuse frequently dumped along roadsides, in drainage channels, waterways and other public spaces.
Environmental advocates say such practices can block drainage systems, contribute to flooding, create unpleasant odours and increase the risk of disease outbreaks.
They stressed that efforts to maintain clean surroundings should go beyond World Cleanup Day, noting that effective waste management requires sustained commitment from households, communities, businesses and relevant authorities.
The advocates also encouraged residents to reduce waste at its source, reuse materials where possible and separate recyclable items from other forms of refuse to reduce the volume of waste sent to disposal sites and support recycling.
They noted that access to reliable waste collection services and properly managed disposal facilities was equally important, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among government authorities, waste management agencies and residents.
Community clean-up exercises, they added, could help promote environmental responsibility by encouraging residents to work together to remove litter and educate others on proper waste disposal practices.
As the campaign continues, environmental groups are urging individuals to turn awareness into everyday habits by avoiding indiscriminate dumping, using waste bins appropriately and supporting initiatives aimed at protecting public spaces.
They said World Cleanup Day should serve as a reminder that maintaining a clean environment requires both individual responsibility and collective action, urging people to make environmental cleanliness a daily practice.
Florence Okpeti is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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