Shurugwi Town Council (Human Excreta and Dangerous Substances) By-laws, 2025
Shurugwi hits the use of human excreta as fertiliser hard: US$500 for using it, US$800 for selling it, US$600 for selling produce grown with it, and US$250 for obstructing an officer.
These by-laws prohibit using human excreta or any dangerous substance as fertiliser for vegetables and edible plants in the Shurugwi Town Council area, irrigating edible crops with raw waste water, planting them along raw waste water flows or waterlogged ground, and selling human excreta or waste water for use as fertiliser.
A designated officer may slash or remove any crop grown with human excreta or dangerous substances, irrigated with raw waste water, or planted on waste water flows or waterlogged areas.
The penalties are the heaviest of the several councils that made these by-laws in late 2025: US$500 for using human excreta or dangerous substances as fertiliser, US$800 for selling them as fertiliser, US$600 for selling vegetables or edible plants grown with them, and US$250 for obstructing an authorised official. By comparison the City of Masvingo set US$20 for each fertiliser offence and Insiza printed nil across the board.
What changed
- Human excreta and dangerous substances may not be used or sold as fertiliser for edible crops
- Irrigating edible crops with raw waste water, and planting along waste water flows, are prohibited
- Council officers may slash or remove offending crops
- Penalties of US$500 for use, US$800 for sale of excreta as fertiliser, US$600 for selling produce grown with it, and US$250 for obstruction
Who this affects
- Urban vegetable growers in Shurugwi
- Market traders selling leafy vegetables
- Council environmental health officers
Plain-language summary — not legal advice. Always read the full instrument.