By Faridat Salifu
Plastic waste is causing significant disruption to power supply in eastern Congo, Reuters reports.
The global news agency said Ruzizi hydroelectric dam, which supplies electricity to cities such as Bukavu, has been increasingly choked by plastic debris, leading to regular power outages that are affecting local industries and businesses.
The dam, located at the southern tip of Lake Kivu near the border with Rwanda, is a vital energy source for the region.
However, during heavy rains, the report says, plastic waste, ranging from bottles to discarded containers, flows down from the surrounding mountains, collecting in the lake.
The accumulated debris is clogging the dam’s machinery, disrupting the flow of water needed to generate electricity.
Reuters reports Ljovy Mulemangabo, the provincial director of the national power utility SNEL, confirming that the blockages are severely hampering the dam’s ability to function properly.
Mulemangabo said efforts to clear the waste have been ongoing, but despite daily cleaning operations, the problem persists. Workers at the dam are constantly battling the plastic buildup, which has led to hours of power loss each day.
Local metalworker, Alex Mbilizi, who spoke to Reuters, expressed frustration over the constant power cuts, which are slowing down production and leading to delays in fulfilling customer orders.
“Our bosses are pressing us because of delays in completing their orders, and we don’t know what to do,” Mbilizi said, pointing out the economic toll of the outages on local businesses.
The situation is compounded by the lack of a comprehensive waste management system in the region.
Reuters said while the local government is making efforts to find solutions, including the possibility of organizing community waste collection programs, officials have acknowledged that current measures are insufficient.
Didier Kabi, the provincial minister of environment and green economy, emphasized the need for a collective approach to waste management.
“We need to understand how everyone can contribute to waste collection at the household level,” Kabi told Reuters, highlighting the importance of public participation in tackling the problem.
Despite surface cleaning efforts, plastic waste has accumulated as deep as 14 meters, necessitating the use of divers to clear debris from the riverbed and prevent blockages to the dam’s turbines.
As authorities explore long-term solutions, the need for a robust waste management system and increased environmental awareness in the region has never been more urgent, the global news agency observed.
Without effective action, the continued accumulation of plastic waste not only threatens the region’s power supply but also jeopardizes local economies and public health, it said. ENDS