A project to separate solid waste to help eradicate filth which has engulfed the city has commenced in parts of Accra.
The project, a brain-child of two organizations, Plastic Waste Management Project and the CHF International, has initiated a programme to encourage plastic waste separation in Accra.
It is expected to get the youth and residents in the city to stop dumping plastic waste in gutters and open space.
The city authorities as well as waste management companies seem to be overwhelmed by the huge volume of waste that is generated on daily basis in Accra alone.
Everyday, between 1500 and 1800 tonnes of waste is generated in the city through the activities of households and the corporate world, but the city authorities have the capacity to collect only 1200 tonnes of the waste, which represents 66 per cent tonnes per day.
A lot of solid waste is generated from agriculture, mining and industry, but the few visible ones are often choked in the gutters. Some also fly freely on the streets and market places in the form of papers, sachets, electronic waste, polythene bags and in some cases metal and broken glasses.
The new initiative, which is expected to reduce the amount of sachet waste in the system is dubbed: “Your Trash.”
It is aimed at motivating residents with financial rewards and guarantees income for collectors.
Residents who separate their water sachet waste from other forms of waste are projected to generate some income as they would be paid by the organizations which would in turn recycle it for other use.
At a programme to launch the initiative in Accra, George Amoasah, Senior Project Officer of the Youth Engagement in Service Delivery (YES) Project, said apart from creating awareness on the importance of separation of waste for recycling the agenda of keeping the city clean is also expected to be achieved.
He explained that the YES project has four chains within the solid waste management process. This includes plastics, compostable organic waste, electronic waste and ferrous metal.
Mr. Amoasah, who was speaking to the youth of the Accra Council Line, urged them to keep their environment clean and cultivate the habit of disposing their waste properly.
Landfills have been the most widely used method to get rid of garbage however fewer landfills are available in the city even as the population keep growing astronomically and have the largest impact on the solid waste management.
By Emelia Ennin Abbey
