Background

Over 2.58 million metric tonnes of raw plastic is imported into Ghana each year and 73% of this ends up as waste.  With only up to 5% of plastic waste is recycled, the rest accumulates in the environment or ends up in landfills and nearly 30% ends up in the ocean. In addition, undisposed plastics can amass in drains and lead to flooding.  The stagnant water from pollution-induced flooding facilitates the outbreak of waterborne diseases like malaria and cholera among vulnerable people living in highly polluted areas. Ghanaians also resort to burning their undisposed plastic waste, which releases airborne toxins. 

Recycle Up! Ghana believes that this plastic waste can be recycled into useful products in exchange to save the environment from pollution. With this belief, we are initiating the Community waste recycling project which seeks to educate, segregate, collect and recycle post-consumer plastic waste from the community level into useful products like school bags, phone cases, carabiners, furniture, buildings materials(bricks) etc.  

Main Goals 

Recycle Up! Ghana’s community waste recycling project is contributing to the creation of a robust circular economy where all plastic wastes are effectively managed to generate resources as well as prevent environmental pollution. The Community waste recycling project will provide an incentive-based plastic collection and recycling system in the selected communities. Different drop off points and collection centres will be established for plastic waste collection. Collected plastic waste will be transported to a larger processing site where partner plastic aggregators will process the waste for recycling purposes. The project will also set up a plastic innovation centre to research innovative processes and techniques of recovery and valorisation of plastic waste.

Operation Communities: Ahodwo, TUC, Nhyiaeso, Adiembra, Paraku Estate, Atasomanso

Research conducted by Recycle Up! Ghana in the 5 selected communities identified little to no recovery and recycling of plastic waste despite a heavy influx of plastic products from producers. The research also showed a growing interest of the community members interested in segregating and giving up their plastic waste for incentives. There was also little to no education and awareness-raising activities on plastic waste management in the selected communities. 

The project will provide an incentive-based plastic collection and recycling system in the selected communities. Different drop off points and collection centres will be established for plastic waste collection. Collected plastic waste will be transported to a larger processing site where partner plastic aggregators will process the waste for recycling purposes. 

The project will also set up a plastic innovation centre to research innovative processes and techniques of recovery and valorisation of plastic waste.