Q: What is the Waste Management Unit?

A: The Waste Management Unit is the section of the Lusaka City Council tasked with the responsibility to implement the new waste collection and disposal system for the City of Lusaka. The Waste Management Unit is often referred to as WMU.

Q: Where is it situated?

A: Civic Centre, Third Floor, Room 416, New Wing, Telephone: 253016

Q: How does Waste Management Unit operate in my area?

A: The Lusaka city has been divided into 12 Waste Management Districts and each district has been assigned a particular waste collector, which include the waste management unit itself and private contractors.

These private contractors have been awarded franchise contracts to render waste collection services in the Waste Management Districts.

In order to attain an effective waste collection system only these Contractors have the right and obligation to collect and transport waste from all premises within the Waste Management District franchised to them.

The Waste Management Unit monitors the operations of these franchised contractors. In addition the Unit collects waste in the Central Business District, Thorn Park and Villa Elizabeth (Waste Management District D) and from the peri-urban areas.

In this way Waste Management Unit operates as the mother body of all waste collection services in the whole city.

Q: How do I access its services?

A: To access waste collection services Lusaka residents, commercial outlets, institutions, industry etc. have to register with their respective waste management company, utilize their services and pay the corresponding fee. Contact details for each Franchise Contractor and the areas serviced by them can be found by clicking here 

Q: Is the new waste management system compulsory?

A: YES. According to the Lusaka City Council (Municipal Solid Waste Management) By-Laws, 2004, all waste generators must subscribe to the new system put in place by the Waste Management Unit.

Q: Do I have to pay and if so, why?

A: YES. Payment of fees has also been made mandatory in the by-laws that are now in force. The fees are meant to ensure sustainability of the new waste management system, and also because the income of the council through rates and personal levies is far from sufficient to provide waste collection services and as a consequence the council had to decide that a fee shall be charged.

Q: Why are there differences in fees?

A: The selected fee system does take into account the differences in income and aims at providing services against fees that are reasonable and affordable for all. Therefore the fees are higher in conventional areas and lower in peri-urban areas. Differences in fees between conventional areas are the result of market forces. The fees have been determined during the tender process by which the Franchise Contractors have been selected. The collections fees included in the tenders formed the main tender evaluation criterion.

Q: Why can't I select my own waste collection company

A: On basis of the Local Government Act, LCC has to organise waste collection for all citizens. Taking this responsibility the LCC has contracted the Franchise Contractors. Only by having contractors in place that are obliged to serve a certain area, LCC can ensure that all residents have access to waste collection services at an affordable fee. And, by giving each contractor a certain area to serve, the contractors can operate more cost efficient and the fees can be kept affordable.

Q: How and where do I settle my bills from?

A: In cases where the waste generator has a direct contract with WMU, bills can be settled at the civic centre building revenue hall or the LCC cleansing depot along Sadzu Road behind Zesco head office.

In cases where the waste generator has a contract with any of the franchise contractors, community-based organizations (CBO) or community-based enterprises (CBE) bills can be settled at their respective offices.

The general public is advised to pay for waste collection services (as this is mandatory) but only after verification of identity of fee collector and upon issuance of an official receipt.

Q: What is the difference between property rates and waste fees?

Property rates are a municipal tax meant to cover the expenditures of the Lusaka City Council related to the provision of services of a general nature such as street maintenance, street lightning, road signs, drainage maintenance etc. Waste fees are payments for services provided to a single resident or business. The payment is for the collection and disposal of waste generated by that resident or business.

Q: Just how flexible is the system to meet my waste disposal needs?

A: The system operates at a standard of one collection per week, but in cases where the frequency of collection needs to be increased special arrangements can be made with the respective waste collector. The system can also allow for different amounts of waste to be collected e.g. by providing different size of waste receptacles.

Q: What if am not impressed with the services?

A: Disputes should in first instance be solved between contractor and waste generator, but in cases where no solution can be reached, the WMU is interested to learn about the experiences waste generators have with their waste collector. The WMU can mediate in cases of conflict and may act as an arbitrator if necessary.

Q: What should I do to someone dumping waste indiscriminately?

A: You can report illegal dumping to the WMU.