Herat residents urge frequent waste collection, demand more dustbins

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): A number of residents in Herat say the rising population and increasing number of vehicles have led to more garbage heaps in the capital of the western province, turning the situation into one of their major concerns.

Officials, however, stress that efforts are ongoing to collect waste regularly and increase the number of dustbins across the city.

Residents voiced concern over the accumulation of waste in some areas of the city and called on relevant entities to pay serious attention to regular waste collection and the installation of more dustbins.

They told Pajhwok Afghan News that the spread of waste across the city has contributed to the proliferation of diseases and that dustbins must be emptied on time.

Abdul Wasi Saboor, an inhabitant of Herat city, said maintaining a clean city required providing more facilities, particularly additional dustbins.

He added that preventing the spread of disease was one of the most important outcomes of proper waste management and the municipality must intensify its efforts in this regard.

He noted that with the recent return of migrants from neighbouring countries, the population has grown in the city and the number of vehicles increased. These factors could raise the volume of waste produced and as a result, the capacity for waste management and collection must be strengthened.

Rahmatullah Shida, another resident, emphasised the importance of public cooperation in keeping the city clean.

He said maintaining a clean city is not solely the responsibility of the municipality; citizens are also obliged to take their waste to designated collection points. He added that without public participation, achieving a clean, waste-free city would be difficult.

Environmental experts also warned that accumulated waste across the city can lead to an increase in respiratory diseases, environmental pollution and other health problems.

Jasem Aslami, an environmental expert in Herat, said household and public waste must be properly managed and urgent, organised measures should be taken for collecting and disposing of public waste across the city.

He added that if waste was not managed correctly, it could lead to environmental pollution and increase the risk of respiratory diseases.

Meanwhile, officials from Herat Municipality said they were intensifying efforts to clean the city.

Naser Armel, a spokesperson for the municipality, told Pajhwok that around 450 sanitation workers operate in two shifts across different city areas to collect waste. He said nearly 800 cubic metres of waste were collected daily and transported to remote areas for disposal.

Armel added that large dustbins have been installed at 40 locations in the city so far and this process continues.

He said small dustbins would also be relocated to various parts of the city to prevent waste from accumulating in crowded areas.

Officials also stated that alongside the municipality’s sanitation personnel, 35 private companies operate in the city to collect and transfer waste to designated areas.

Residents and experts emphasised that effective waste management required better coordination among responsible departments and continuous public cooperation to transform Herat into a cleaner and healthier city.

kk/ma