The Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, MP has today paid a one-day working visit to three (3) plastic recyclers at Tema and Ashaiman respectively.
According to the Minister, the tour will offer him an opportunity to be updated with both progress and challenges associated with plastic production.
The Minister on his tour on Friday made the first stop at Nelplast Eco Plasticsat Ashaiman where he was briefed on how plastics are been used in manufacturing building materials among others.
The Minister said "We have to ensure that we don't litter with plastics. It is even an eye saw. Even in Ashaiman as we were coming, look at our environment, quality has been degraded and this has led to so many health issues"
The Minister revealed that although plastics take time to degrade, they also tend to remain micro-plastics when poses as harmful to human health.
"We want to stop that. From my perspective, that is even the most dangerous aspect which is hidden from Ghanaians and then also quality issues. Nobody wants to see plastics littered all over the place. Tourists will certainly not come to Ashaiman. I m working with all sectors to ensure that we tackle this issue"
The Chief Executive Officer of Nelplast Eco Plastics, Nelson Boateng said "Nelplastics also started by purchasing only HDB plastics and later we moved to the polybag manufacturing but we found out that most of our collectors do not bring back the black to us so in June 2015, when we had that disaster, most of the problems were attributed to plastics choking gutters, so I felt bad that I am one of the problems"
He hinted that he later manufactured a product that did not go out there to pollute but rather save the environment.
"We shifted from producing the polybags although we have some of the machines there. We are gradually taking them off so we give more space to the production of the Eco bricks from the polybag.
Hammering on challenges facing his company, Mr, Boateng said "First, I will hit on our electricity bill and that is what is killing us. We need grants or soft loans to expand our operations because we have more plastics coming in than what we can recycle. Now, we are doing 3,000 kilos whiles our collectors have the ability to collect about 20,000 kilos, so we need to expand to be able to recycle all the plastics they bring to us on daily basis"
At the SRG Industries Ghana Limited, the Sector Minister pledged to carry the plastic industry to a higher height since it produces valuable materials for the populace.
"Ultimately, the hazardous effects of plastics tend to have cumulative compound effects especially, on human health through the pollution of air and marine freshwater among others"
He stressed that his tour will also call for a strong partnership to help industries.
He charged the leadership of SRG Industries to do their best by sharing ideas among others for the betterment of plastic production.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Group of Industries, Bipin Sanghavi thanked the Minister for paying a working visit to his outfit.
He charged the Ministry to walk the talk and help build a better plastic industry.
"The way to engage the different segments is good. The first is education. If we give better education, it will help. I have been here fr the past 20 years and there have been changes. I think when we pay attention there, it will help"
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lele Ghana, Hussein Jaber called for the revision of policies governing plastic production in Ghana.
The sector Minister said "We want to avoid government setting up structures to compete with them. We don't want to do that. The efforts they have made are efforts that they have read the external environment"
"The discipline should come. You should not sit in trotro and throw away plastics on the side of the road or highway. Who should go from here to Asiakwa to go and pick those plastic bottles?" he added.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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