Voltic community recycling project receives support of Accra suburbs
Communities in Accra have pledged support to the campaign to segregate plastic bottles from other wastes for recycling by bottled water producer Voltic Ghana Ltd, and Environment 360, a non-governmental organisation.
The campaign, dubbed: “Evolve Community Recycling Project” was introduced by Voltic to involve communities to segregate plastic bottle wastes on a large scale to address the waste challenges that face Accra.
The campaign had since signed on more than 200 gated residential households, shopping malls and gyms while Voltic and its partners had recycled over 400 kilogrammes of plastic bottles.
Mr Philip Redman, the General Manager of Voltic Ghana Limited, said the project was designed to encourage community members to separate their waste bottles to raise funds for environmental education in coastal and urban communities in the Greater Accra Region.
“In addition to the provision of 20 waste collection containers to various public and private locations, Voltic has also donated a truck to Environment 360 to ensure the regular collection of the plastic waste bottles and funds for a comprehensive programme to educate the public on proper environmental practices,” he said.
Mr Redman said: “This is to show the company’s desire to meet the expectation of the people and also to demonstrate to consumers that we are much concerned about carrying out our social and environmental responsibilities.”
He said the community segregation campaign was part of the company’s initiative to complement government’s efforts at improving the sanitation situation to ensure a clean environment.
“Our anticipation is to segregate a minimum of one metric tonne of plastic waste bottles this year and help educate an estimated 10,000 children on the importance of separation of waste,” he said.
Miss Cordie Aziz, the Executive Director of Environment 360, said everyone had the right to live in a clean and healthy environment, regardless of his or her economic status.
“The project is not only giving an opportunity to the people to segregate, but also educating and empowering children in coastal and urban communities to address most pressing environmental issues,” she said.
Miss Aziz said the community waste separation project was also designed to directly support Goal 12 of the United Nations Sustainability Goals (UNSG 2030).
She said the NGO and Voltic Ghana would liaise with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Accra Plastic Waste Management Programme and the Environmental Protection Agency for a successful project.
Mr Ebbo Botwe, the Chairman of the Plastic Waste Management Programme, pledged to provide the necessary support to the project, especially by ensuring that waste bins were emptied on regular basis.
He said: “Everyone must understand that the best environmental legacy we leave for future generations will depend on our resolve to recycle and manage plastic wastes properly.”
Mr John Pwamang, the Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, urged the recycling companies to intensify efforts to increase awareness, strengthen compliance enforcement strategies and expand environmental structures to the municipal, metropolitan and district assemblies to ensure cleanliness at the local levels.
He said the EPA had provided various guidelines and advice on environmental issues to the collaborating companies to ensure that the regulations were effectively enforced.
Source: GNA