Start waste segregation at household level – Zanetor

Minister-designate for Environment, Science, and Technology, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has emphasized the importance of waste segregation at the household, school, and community levels in Ghana to enhance the country's solid waste management. She argued that segregating waste at the source would facilitate the identification of appropriate treatment methods for different types of waste while supporting compost production and recycling efforts.

Speaking at a parliamentary committee hearing on August 27, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings outlined the need for a combination of proper disposal systems, public education, stronger enforcement, and innovative waste treatment approaches. She stressed that waste segregation should commence from the most fundamental units of society, such as households, schools, and communities.

Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings also highlighted the necessity of designing and managing landfills with non-permeable bases to prevent harmful substances from contaminating soil and groundwater. She advocated for extending the current practices at electronic waste collection points to other waste management facilities. Beyond traditional waste disposal methods, the minister-designate suggested exploring alternative techniques, such as converting waste into energy and other valuable products.

She pointed out that some countries import solid waste for thermal power generation. Additionally, she proposed using pyrolysis technology to transform plastic waste into fuel and cooking gas, and recycling specific types of plastic into reusable materials, thus reducing plastic waste volume and finding productive uses for discarded materials.

Addressing Ghana's waste management challenges, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings advocated for a comprehensive approach, rather than relying on a single solution.