Household waste disposal just another Covid-19 challenge

By DMG 06 Aug 2021

DMG Newsroom
6 August 2021, Sittwe  

Residents of some townships in Arakan State have found it difficult to properly dispose of household waste during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to locals. 

The Covid-19 pandemic in Taungup Township has reduced the number of people in the municipal garbage collection business, as well as shrinking the number of jobs, according to the township development committee. 

Although there are three garbage trucks belonging to the Taungup Township development committee, only two trucks are currently collecting garbage, according to U Maung Sein, an officer of the township development committee. 

“Currently, the number of garbage trucks has been reduced by one due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so only two vehicles are used to collect garbage. A garbage truck collects the waste from virus patients receiving medical treatment at the hospital four times a week. Garbage collection in downtown Taungup is declining,” he said. 

Currently, there is also a reduction in the number of employees due to concerns about the risks of Covid-19, he added. 

Ko Min Ko Khaing, a resident of Guta ward in Taungup, said garbage truck pickups are not regular and locals face difficulties when the trucks do not come. 

“Garbage trucks do not have a plan for where and when they will stop, so we have to store our garbage in the backyard,” he said, adding that sometimes when the garbage truck has been heard approaching, the family has attempt to rush trash from the backyard only to find the truck gone by the time they’ve fetched it for pickup. 

Ko Aung Hein Lin, a resident of Kyauktaw, said it was difficult for locals to dispose of trash as garbage trucks owned by the township development committee did not make daily rounds. 

“Garbage trucks only go around the town three days a week, so there is a lot of garbage. The problem now is that there is a lot of garbage,” he added. 

U Soe Moe Kyaw, assistant engineer of the Kyauktaw Township Development Committee, said garbage trucks are being used to collect garbage from town residents and internally displaced people (IDPs) every two days. 

People in Myebon Township are dumping garbage into creeks and rivers as municipal garbage trucks do not operate regularly, locals have said. 

U Khin Maung Htay, an officer of the Myebon Township Development Committee, said garbage collection works are being carried out in accordance with Covid-19 regulations. 

In addition to household trash, a large amount of Covid-related refuse such as masks, hand sanitisers and hospital waste has piled up during the pandemic.