Litta Reporta app to provide data to assist with waste management

Last Updated on Monday, 15 January 2024, 11:24 by Denis Chabrol

Creator of the Litta Reporta app, Maryam Bacchus, and Country Representative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Lorena Solórzano Salazar.

A new digital platform, Litta Reporta, was launched at the weekend to assist authorities at the local and national levels, but the major problem is still expected to be collection of waste although authorities would be aware of the locations.

The app was developed by Software Developer, 20-year old Maryam Bacchus, who has been described as having a “passion for environmental sustainability.” Also the founder of Cassini Technologies, she said the intent is to use “data to determine action” in sustainably addressing littering, clogged drains that can lead to floods and dumpsites that can sicken people, harm animals and contribute to climate change.

“Litta Report is an application that gives you data. It’s a two-part reporting application that bridges the communication gap between persons affected by garbage pollution and authorities and organisations that do so much to try and remedy those issues,” she said.

Using the app is free of cost.

Ms Bacchus explained that Litta Reporta could help in planning for coastal clean-up exercises by identifying the sources of marine garbage, assist communities to plan clean-up events to deal with waste hot-spots. The app also allows people to classify the types of garbage that are observed, and time stamps when reports are made and resolved. “All this data, I believe, is critical in solving the issue so that we do not put proverbial band-aids over issues anymore and that we actually come together and use valuable data to form more permanent solutions to these issues,” she said.

Attendees at the launch of the Litta Reporta app at Herdmanston Lodge, Georgetown on Saturday January 13, 2023.

The inventor of the Litta Reporta app hoped that the facility would be used by enforcement agents to remove garbage.

Country Representative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Lorena Solórzano Salazar said while improper waste disposal is a global problem, technology could be leveraged to find innovative ways to deal with the problem. She said the IDB was ready to contribute to  waste management in “small and impactful ways” such as the creation of Litta Reporta. She hoped that the data could be used to “find new ways to reduce this waste” and trigger greater involvement of civil society.

Head of the Complaints Unit at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mr Surujpaul Singh said Guyana’s waste management problems include insufficient disposal sites, lack of enforcement and less than satisfactory enforcement of legislation. He suggested that the Litta Reporta app would assist in data collection similar to the way the litter wardens were required to do, but noted that the important question is taking action. “We also have to think about the end result as well. Well, it’s fine that we can gather the data to report trends, make informed analysis but what do we do with the waste at the end,” he said.

Georgetown City Councillor, Clayton Hinds said he would be exploring the possibility of the Solid Waste Department using the app “in helping the department in addressing the waste disposal needs.”  Mr Hinds also recommended that there be a public education programme, in conjunction with the app, to focus on recycling and composting. Ms Bacchus welcomed the expression of interest and would be willing to develop other aspects of the app to make it useful to the municipality. “We don’t plan on stopping here. We plan on going even further,” she added.

The IDB funded the creation of the app.