Residents, authorities must be active in curbing pollution

There are many environment protection standards for environment quality purposes and likewise, there are many environment standard infringements which
can also cause environment pollution.
Despite the standards and the presence of reliable enforcement authorities with sufficient support from the municipal and national government as well as from business firms in the private sector, infringements and damage happen daily and one such example is the daily littering of the drain running from Waigani to Morata and from Ensisi to Morata.
The cause of the littering of the two main drains in the Waigani and Morata areas are purely a result of reckless human behaviour and an increase in population and thereby business activities in and around these areas.
The drains run through suburbs and they are an eyesore as well as a health hazard.
The used plastics like shopping carriers, bottles and diapers that are disposed ends up in the drains and finally reaches the sea and on the way affects plant and important marine life.
Used oils and paints as well as untreated sewage are also seen being disposed into the drains and this will reduce dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the water and subsequently destroy important marine life.
Littering is a simple mistake that people do on a daily basis as they go around doing their daily personal, household or business activities like buying and selling, eating, washing and food preparation.
It can be avoided through applying human conscience and proper moral and ethical values when doing daily personal, household and business chores.
Learn to practice simple standard conservation practices like reusing and recycling thrash as well as applying proper disposal techniques like using proper disposal bins.
The National Capital District Commission (NCDC) is tasked with the duty to protect and regulate every personal, household and business activities to ensure that these activities comply with the environmental standards that are accepted, adapted or accredited to relevant and comparable institutions such as the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in the United States.
So far, the NCDC has come down hard on trash collection but the population growth of the city is placing a strain on the efforts.
Also, the other thing is the lack of proper city planning which is causing the unregulated effects of waste disposal.
However, I realise that once the demographic information about NCDC is gathered and used for planning, then there will be effective delivery of waste control measures such as installation of waste bins and monitoring and surveillance of waste production and disposal.
In all, the environment standards should be properly rolled out and captured in the city’s development planning and the city community must also support and comply with the efforts.

Mike H, Via Email