Reply to comment

This paper examines some of the developments in waste management that are taking place in Botswana based on government documentation and other relevant work on the subject. It explores the main achievements the country has made and highlights on some of the challenges of waste management in the country. Botswana has experienced increased waste generation due to increased population that outweighs the country’s capacity to deal with increased volumes of waste and the situation has been worsened by lack of adequate financial, technical, technological, and human resources to deal with the problem. There have been a number of recent developments that show that waste disposal is headed in the right direction and that there is the will to bring about a well regulated, well operated waste management industry in Botswana. The current achievements could serve as a model of what can be achieved by a developing country that sets out to improve the quality of life of its citizens by controlling and adequately disposing of its waste. It is suggested that environmental education be prioritized, national database on the volumes of wastes generated in the country be built and environmental legislation be strengthened.