By Aminata Abu Bakarr Kamara
As dark clouds gather over Freetown and the rainy season intensifies, a familiar and troubling sight once again emerges across the city: overflowing garbage bins, clogged drainage systems, and heaps of waste scattered along roadsides, waterways, and communities. While rainfall brings relief from the heat and nourishes agricultural activities, it also exposes one of Freetown’s most persistent urban challenges poor waste managements.
Every year, residents witness the same cycle. Waste accumulates in drains, gutters become blocked with plastic bags and household refuse, and floodwaters carry garbage through neighbourhoods. The consequences are severe. Streets become impassable, homes are flooded, businesses suffer losses, and public health risks increase significantly.
Freetown’s waste management problem is not merely an environmental concern; it is a public health and development issue. During the rainy season, improperly disposed waste creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes, increasing the risk of malaria. Contaminated floodwaters contribute to the spread of cholera, typhoid, and other waterborne diseases. Children are often the most vulnerable victims of these preventable health hazards.
The situation is made worse by rapid urbanization. Freetown’s population continues to grow, placing enormous pressure on waste collection systems that are already struggling to meet demand. In many communities, residents have limited access to regular waste collection services, forcing some to dump refuse into drains, streams, and vacant lots.
However, it would be unfair to place all responsibility on the authorities. Waste management is a shared responsibility that requires active participation from both government institutions and citizens. While city authorities and waste management agencies must improve collection services, enforce sanitation regulations, and invest in sustainable waste disposal infrastructure, residents must also change harmful attitudes toward waste disposal.
Far too often, individuals discard plastic bottles, food containers, and other waste materials onto streets without considering the long-term consequences. These seemingly small actions accumulate into a major environmental disaster when rains arrive.
The rainy season should serve as a wake-up call for all stakeholders. Community leaders, environmental organizations, schools, businesses, and residents must work together to promote proper waste disposal and regular community clean-up exercises. Public awareness campaigns should be intensified to educate citizens on the direct link between waste disposal practices and flooding.
Technology and innovation can also play a significant role. Recycling initiatives, waste segregation programs, and the creation of more environmentally friendly disposal systems can help reduce the volume of waste ending up in drainage channels and waterways.
Moreover, stricter enforcement of environmental laws is necessary. Individuals and businesses that indiscriminately dump waste should be held accountable. Environmental protection cannot succeed without a combination of education and enforcement.
The devastating mudslide of August 2017 remains a painful reminder of the consequences of environmental neglect. While waste management alone was not responsible for that tragedy, it highlighted the broader dangers associated with poor environmental practices and inadequate urban planning.
As the rains continue to fall, Freetown faces a critical choice. We can continue treating waste management as a seasonal concern that receives attention only during floods and disease outbreaks, or we can adopt a long-term, sustainable approach that protects lives, public health, and the environment.
A cleaner Freetown is possible, but it requires collective commitment. The rainy season should not be a period of fear and crisis. With responsible waste management, effective leadership, and active citizen participation, it can instead be a season of resilience, safety, and sustainable urban living.
The time to act is now, before another flood, disease outbreak, or environmental disaster reminds us once again of the cost of inaction.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 15th June 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
