It may not be a trend you have noticed but Zimbabweans have for the most part switched from washable nappies which are now very unpopular to disposable nappies. However disposable nappies are becoming a problem according to the Environment Management Agency (EMA).

According to the government Herald, the Agency is now in the process of lobbying the government so as to get the nappies banned. Why?

[They are] … a serious hazard to the environment as they create enormous amounts of toxic trash that takes 500 years to decompose in landfills while their improper disposal allows excrement to be washed into rivers.

What do you think?

A lot of people who were interviewed were naturally furious. They cited water shortages in Harare and major urban centres as one of the main reasons they had switched to disposable diapers. These nappies also save on time and soap expenses.

A few women, the older generation accused the young mothers of today of just being lazy:

All my children are now grown up, but I think the problem is with the new generation of mothers who are abusing the diapers and are too lazy to wash traditional nappies,
One older woman had this to say on the issue.

I think the older generation does not appreciate some of the problems we have to contend with as parents of today. My mother as with most women her generation were housewives. That’s a luxury my wife cannot afford if we want to pay the bills. It’s the same world over. Women now have to work.

What do we think?

EMA is just being lazy and looking for an easy solution that is not going to work. This will be the latest ridiculous ban. They banned scratch airtime and plastic shopping bags a few years ago how is that working out?

What they need to do is to introduce a recycling program and lobbying the government to introduce recycling on a national scale. Now that would be something that is not actually helpful to the environment there is actually economic sense in it and it will be a win-win.

Because it requires an actual effort from EMA and the government expect it not to happen.