MBABANE – Residents of Mbabane City are being exposed to harmful air pollution, with fumes from the Mbabane Government Hospital identified as a major contributor. The minister for Tourism and Environmental Affairs said smoke from burning hospital waste is visible to anyone passing the facility, affecting the air quality in the city.
Speaking in an interview, the minister said the Ministry of Tourism is collaborating with the environmental unit of the Ministry of Health and the Matsapha Town Council to introduce a smart, eco-friendly incinerator at the hospital. A similar system is already operational in Matsapha with the support of the Eswatini Environment Authority, designed to safely dispose of waste without harming the environment.
The ministry has also procured a system to measure air cleanliness, currently installed in Mbabane City. Additional systems will be purchased and deployed across the country once funding allows.
Although Mbabane lacks large industrial factories, the minister noted that local wildfires and the burning of plastics are key sources of pollution. “The plastics that we burn are the ones that pollute the environment the most because they have toxins that affect our bodies,” she said.
She urged citizens to explore safer alternatives for plastic disposal, warning that the polluted air affects children and adults alike, with residents frequently experiencing coughing and other health impacts. The minister added that even officials wear protective glasses due to prolonged exposure to airborne toxins.
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