Bubu Kumordzie, a Waste Segregation Officer at Jekora Ventures Limited, has called for a policy requiring citizens to separate waste materials at the source.
This, he believes, would streamline the recycling process, saving time and resources.
Speaking at a workshop on "Plastic Waste Recycling and Reuse," Kumordzie emphasized the importance of waste segregation. He highlighted the use of color-coded bins for different types of waste, such as blue for plastics, brown for papers, green for food waste, and black for non-recyclables.
The workshop, organized by the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) of the University of Ghana in collaboration with the African Materials Research Society (AMRS) and the Policy and Research for the Integrated Management of Urban Sustainability (PRIMUS), aimed to research new polymer recycling technologies.
These technologies would enable the production of technically and safety compliant recycled materials for manufacturing high-value products, making plastic collection and recycling economically feasible.
Key speakers at the workshop included Prof. Emmanuel Nyankson, Mathilde Marie Stéphanie Taveau, Ana Rita Carvalho Neiva, and Dr. Benjamin D. Ofori.
They discussed various topics, including sampling and analyses, upgrading recycled plastics, industrial mechanical recycling, and the regulation and legal aspects of recycled plastics.
Prof. David Dodoo-Arhin, the Director of IAST, highlighted the government's efforts through the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) to transition to a plastic circular economy. He mentioned the formation of the Ghana National Plastic Action Partnership to support this transition.
The PRIMUS project, a three-year research and innovation plan funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Programme, focuses on improving the quality and safety of recycled materials.
Prof. Jarkko Juhani Saarinen explained that the project aims to develop tools for traceability and strengthen collaboration between universities to treat plastics effectively.
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The workshop aimed to research new polymer recycling technologies