Tackling Plastic Pollution : Ashanti EPA Sensitizes Sachet Water Producers, Other Stakeholders On Menace

Asempa Dawuro

Dec 30, 2024 - 11:23

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Tackling Plastic Pollution : Ashanti EPA Sensitizes Sachet Water Producers, Other Stakeholders On Menace

By Adu Gyamfi Odopa

(gyamemma5@gmail.com)

The Ashanti Regional Directorate, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has schooled 100 Sachet Water Producers on effective plastic waste management in Kumasi, the capital.

Aimed at fomulating and implementing stringent recommendations on effective solutions on ending plastic waste pollution, the training workshop also focused on preventing further littering and destruction on the environment.

Addressing participants at the workshop, Dr Jackson Adiyiah Nyantakyi, Ashanti Regional Director, the EPA said Plastics are synthetic materials produced from synthetic or semi-synthetic organic polymers derived from petrochemicals (petrol-based chemicals).

He stated that a world without plastics, may seem unimaginable today, yet their large-scale production and use only dates back from 1950 and that as a result, they accumulate, rather than decompose, in landfills or the natural environment.

According to him, the use of synthetic plastics started in the 20th century however, its use became more pronounced after the second World War noting that the ensuing rapid growth in plastics production is extraordinary and surpasses most other man-made materials.

Demand For Plastic

In a presentation, Dr Nyantakyi said demand for plastic is forecast to continue rising, growth in production and consumption is coupled with an inefficient global waste management system, resulting in less than a fifth of plastic waste being recycled.

Notable exceptions are materials that are used extensively in the construction sector, such as steel and cement. The place of plastics in the worldwide economy is seen in the packaging section. This phenomenal growth was accelerated by a global shift from reusable to single-use containers.

Consequently, the share of plastics in the municipal solid waste has increased from less than 1% in 1960 to more than 20% by 2015 for middle and high-income countries.

It is also mentioned that the global solid waste generation, which is strongly correlated with gross national income per capita, has grown steadily over the past five decades.

It must be noted that most of the monomers such as ethylene, ethene and propylene used to make plastics are derived from fossil hydrocarbons, however, none of the commonly used plastics are biodegradable.

Global statistics

Plastic pollution remains a significant environmental concern, posing severe threats to both terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

According to research by the Center for International Environmental Law, greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could represent 10-13 per cent of the entire remaining carbon budget by 2050 (in the context of the L.5-degree goal of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Paris Agreement).

Statistics paint a dire picture: globally, approximately 8,300 million metric tons of plastics have been produced to date, with 6,300 million metric tons of plastic waste generated by 2015.

Alarmingly, only 9% of this waste has been recycled, 12% incinerated, and a staggering 79% accumulated in landfills or natural environments.

Experts predict that by 2050, about 12,000 million metric tons of plastic waste could overwhelm landfills or litter the environment. Research indicates that about 8300 million metric tons of plastics have been produced to date.

As of 2015, approximately 6300 million metric tons of plastic waste had been generated but it is sad to hear that only 9% of which it was recycled: Only 12% was incinerated, and 79% was accumulated in landfills or the natural environment.

It has been predicted that if the current production and waste management trends continue, roughly 12,000 million metric tons of plastic waste will be in landfills or in the natural environment by 2050.

It has also been established that: The global production and consumption of plastic has increased by over a factor of 20 since the 1960s.

Today, 40 percent of global plastics production is for packaging and 95 percent is single use. Ghana statistics In Ghana, the situation is particularly concerning.

The Ocean Health Index for Ghana recorded a decline from a score of 63 in 2017 to 59 in 2019, placing the country 188th out of 221 exclusive economic zones worldwide.

Health Implications

The Regional Director indicated that research has shown evidence of plastic particles in human blood, lungs, gut, feces, and reproductive tissues like the placenta and testes.

But the potential health effects of these tiny plastic bits are still unproven and unknown. Plastic waste is now so ubiquitous in the environment that it has been suggested as a geological indicator of the proposed Anthropocene era.

As plastic does not break down naturally, it is polluting natural systems, including rivers and oceans. The production, use and disposal of plastics also creates significant greenhouse gas emissions throughout the different stages of the plastic value chain.

As the environmental consequences of plastic become increasingly apparent, regulation and consumer behaviours have started to change. The impact of plastic pollution on the marine environment has been in the spotlight, posing reputational risks for companies and investors.

Now plastic debris has been found in all major ocean basins, with an estimated 4 to 12 million metric tons (Mt) of plastic waste generated on land entering the marine environment in 2010 alone.

Plastics are a part of our everyday lives, but plastic pollution is a growing concern. When plastics break down over time, they can form smaller particles called microplastics, which are 5 mm or less in length.

Microplastics, in turn, can break down into even smaller pieces called nano plastics, which are less than 1 um in size. Its production is extraordinary and surpasses most other man-made materials.

Potential Solutions

Dr Nyantakyi stated that the only way to permanently eliminate plastic waste is by destructive thermal treatment, such as combustion or pyrolysis. He said potential solutions exist at each stage of the circular economy: design, reuse, repair and recycling.

However, solutions cannot be assessed in isolation and must be considered in the context of the whole plastics value chain. "Collaboration across the value chain is required to develop impactful solutions" the Regional Director emphasised.

In conclusion, I wish to say that as regulations shift countries toward circular economy models, there are opportunities for future investments to address plastic pollution and the other related impacts.

A representative of JESOG Ghana Beverages Limited, Joshua Akpor, on behalf of the beneficiaries, commended the initiative and called for broader public education, and appealed to the EPA to extend the awareness to the public since over 90% of what they produce ends up in the hands of the public.

An Officer at the Ahafo regional directorates of the EPA, Anthony Acquah, showcased an innovative ways to reproduce plastic waste into products namely flower pots, litter bins, and baskets amongo thers.

He encouraged the public to embrace recycling rather than throwing plastics around and urged them to explore ways to redevelope into useful items.

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