The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has launched a project which seeks to recycle plastic waste for construction purposes.
The project which is being piloted under the auspices of the Ghana Recycling Initiative by Private Enterprises (GRIPE) is expected to reduce the volume of plastic waste in the country.
This forms part of steps by the member manufacturing companies to support government’s plastic waste management campaign. The pilot technology targeted in the Ashanti region will see plastic waste processed into a material that replaces sand in the molding of concrete blocks. The blocks will be used to construct toilet facilities in the region as part of efforts to assist the Sanitation Ministry’s projects to build affordable toilets across the country.
Research from the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 20 percent of the 300 tons of plastic waste generated in Ghana daily is collected while less than 25 percent is recycled.
CEO of the AGI, Seth Twum Akwaaboah at the official launch of the project said, “I’m very glad that we have come this far, that there is a second life of plastics which can be very useful. We are in the right direction in gradually moving toward solving the plastic waste menace”. Mr Akwaaboah added “after the pilot we will replicate it across the country because we want to make it a national program”.
Urban Planning and Waste Management consultant to the project, Heather Troutman on her part announced that “this is a scientific research which for decades have been demonstrating its feasibility, largely used for commercial applications all over the world.”
She maintains the technology will greatly reduce material and manufacturing cost for building projects among other ecological benefits. The modified concrete projects is also expected to provide employment through the sourcing of the plastic waste from individual collectors and recycling companies.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Papisdaf Abdallah
