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The meeting was to submit a report by a seven-member committee on plastics in Ghana.

The report said statistics indicated that plastic bags sub sector fed over 3,500 entities with packaging materials and quasi inputs, provided more than 17,000 direct employment and annually contributed more than GH¢25 million in state tax revenue.

“However, the euphoria of convenient shopping with plastic bag gradually waned as they metamorphose into domestic waste,” it said.

The report pointed out that plastic shopping bags, bottles and sachets were the major source of plastic waste due to their versatility, durability and other characteristics.

It showed that lack of appropriate planning system, absence of appropriate marketing strategy for recycled plastic products, inadequate governance in the plastic manufacturing sector, poor technology, lack of appropriate legislation, weak enforcement, absence of policy incentives and attitudinal behaviour of consumers were major challenges in the management of plastic waste.

The report recommended public education and sensitisation, waste separation at source, encouraging plastic waste recycling among others in tackling the issue.

It said plastic waste management could create opportunities for jobs for the people in Ghana especially the informal sector.

Mr G.K. Scott, Chief Director of MEST, said plastic bags had played a key role in the Ghanaian economy over the years but its widespread use, misuse and indiscriminate and advertent littering posed a major
threat to the health of the citizenry and national development. 

He said the meeting with stakeholders in the plastic manufacturing sector and consumers would form the basis for a national forum to ensure policies instituted to check the situation would be carefully thought of.

Ms Adelaide A. Asante, an official of MEST, said the estimated cost for the implementation of a re-cycling programme would be about GH¢250,000 per metropolitan, municipal and district assembly.

She said about 1,000 people would be employed in plastic sorting centres across the country consisting of 15- 30 permanent jobs in each centre.

Ms Asante said the centres were expected to generate between 200- 4000 tonnes of plastics per month with a potential revenue generation of between GH¢60,000-GH¢1,200,000.

She called for collaboration from key ministries such as Ministries of Environment, Science and Technology, Local Government and Rural development, Trade and Industry to supervise implementation of the project while the private sector should be engaged and consulted.

GNA/PF