Plastic wastes remain global menace

Disposable plastic wastes continue to be a global menace for both governments and nongovernmental actors handling waste.

It is estimated that every year, over eight million tons of single use plastic waste ends up in the oceans causing harm to marine species and the environment.

Records also show that over 40 per cent of these single-use plastic products are produced yearly, thus, increasing difficulties in managing the waste created.

In Ghana, these wastes cause lots of havoc including perennial flooding and loss of lives and properties.

In its efforts to assist in reducing plastic waste in the country, Let’s Do It! Ghana, a nonprofit Environmental Organisation, for the past five years have been organising   cleanup exercises at beaches in Accra and across the country.

This year’s exercise took place at Laboma Beach and other beaches in the country. In all over 1000 environmental organisations and individuals participated in the countrywide exercise.

It was organised in collaboration with Pernod Ricard Ghana, CMA-CGM Ghana, Ghana Wildlife Society, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Dansworld International Service Limited, Glovo, Allianz Ghana, Street Sense Organisation, My Strength Keep Fit Club, and other Environmental NGOs.

Let’s Do It! Ghana is the local chapter of “Let’s Do It! World;” a global civic movement with a mission to connect people and organisations around the world to make the planet waste free.

Every year, over 191 volunteers, governments and organisations join the World Cleanup Day on 17 September to clean beaches in their respective countries.

Mrs Kate Opoku, the Country Leader for Let’s Do It! Ghana, said World Cleanup Day unites millions of volunteers, governments, and organisations in over 191participating countries to tackle the global waste problem and build a sustainable world.

She said avoiding littering indiscriminately and single-use plastic products were the sure way to overcome the menace.

“Let’s change our consumption pattern and go for re-use plastic products instead of single-use ones. There are so many things that we can do to help the environment.

“…use your re-use bags or baskets for marketing instead of the polythene bags…we can use water bottles for water instead of the sachet water” she added.

Mrs Opoku also advocated for the enforcement of the country’s Sanitation by Laws to make people behave responsively.

Ms. Eunice Osei-Tutu, the Sustainability and Responsibility Manager, Pernod Ricard Ghana also reiterated the need to encourage segregation of plastic wastes in the homes, offices and the public area to support the recycling efforts

“Let’s encourage everybody to segregate and recycle to reduce waste,’ she said.

Mr. Bernard Danso Ntow, Chief Executive Office of Dansworld International Services Limited, said waste management is a shared responsibility, which should not be left for organisations or governments alone.

He, therefore, urged the public to be responsible for the waste they generated and commended Let’s Do It Ghana for always leading the course of a sustainable clean environment.

Togbui Ghana, an Environmental Ambassador, urged Ghanaians to make cleaning of their environment part of their daily activities.

Source: GNA