Abetifi (E/R) April 07, GNA – The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government Decentralization and Rural Development, has launched “Plastic is a resource, not a waste” campaign in Eastern Region.
The waste management campaign is aimed to change people’s thinking about plastic waste, promoting the idea that it is a renewable resource that should be handled appropriately to protect the environment.
The campaign was hosted by the Kwahu East and South district assemblies.
Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, emphasised the importance of people viewing plastic as a renewable resource that must be properly disposed of, rather than as trash.
He indicated that Ghana was committed to developing a legally binding international mechanism to stop plastic pollution by 2024.
“The agreement is planned to cover the entire lifecycle of plastics, including manufacture, design, and disposal, as well as the creation of reusable and recyclable product materials,” he said.
He warned against rampant littering and indiscriminate plastics disposal, which he said posed major environmental and public health dangers.
“One plastic thrown away from a moving vehicle is one plastic too many for Ghana, and that is something we should not do,” he continued.
“We should regard garbage as a resource with the ability to expand the economy and create jobs if we have a strong and market-driven domestic recycling industry,” he added.
He stated that Ghana had a Plastics Management Policy that was comprehensive in nature and served as a vehicle for sustainable development by ensuring the management of plastics throughout their life cycle and value chain.
He explained that the goal was to encourage a movement toward a circular economy based on plastics, as well as a fundamental shift in society’s mindset away from the “take, make, and trash” mentality.
Mr Isaac Agyapong, Chief Executive of Kwahu East District, said the district would take steps to reduce plastic pollution.
He said the steps would include identifying designated collection places for plastic garbage and making it easier for people and households that collect plastic waste to connect with buyers.
Mr George Aguadze, Eastern Regional Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, said the company would provide 300 dustbins throughout event zones in Kwahu East, South, and West districts as part of the preparations for this year’s Easter Festival in Kwahu Abetifi.
From April 14 to 18, staff from Zoomlion Ghana Limited would be on duty in the districts to maintain a clean environment, he said.
The Accra Compost and Recycling Plant Limited and the Universal Plastic Product and Recycling Limited displayed finished items made from recycled plastic trash during the launching ceremony.
These included plastic water storage buckets, plastic chairs, plastic waste bins, and bin liners.
GNA