The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, yesterday toured some plastic recycling facilities in the capital, to get firsthand information on challenges confronting the industry for possible redress.
The minister who was accompanied by some officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, visited the Kpone landfill sites, where about 400,000 tonnes of plastic waste are collected daily to recycling facilities, the Spaceplast Company Limited, where about 50,000 tonnes of plastic are recycled daily and La Plastic Collectors Association to engage members.
Addressing members of the Plastic Waste Collectors Association, Dr Afriyie said,theministry recognised the efforts of the plastic waste collectors in curbing the menace of indiscriminatory waste disposal in the country.
He said, plastic waste collectors played significant role in promoting proper sanitation, and that, his outfit through the collaboration of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), and other agencies would streamline the sector to become more vibrant.
Dr Afriyie said,he believed challenges confronting the industry would be addressed after dialogue with the relevant ministries, stressing“the ministry has received several complaints from the Plastic Waste Collectors Association on the challenges they encounter when transporting the plastic to recycling facilities.
We are also aware of the lack of logistics challenges as well as the inadequate recycling company to buy the plastic, I must say that government will do everything possible to assist the industry”.
The Chairman of the Plastic Waste Collectors Association, Mr Elvis Oppong said, there was an inadequate recycling facility to buy the plastic, as members had to transport the plastic from far places to the company.
He said the high transportation cost associated with the transportation of the product was not encouraging, and appealed to the ministry to help them acquire funds that would enable them to them setup a recycling plant.
Mr Oppong mentioned picking tools and reflectors as some of the needs of the Association, stressing that, the association could increase the collection of plastic if government supports them.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN