Environment Minister calls for battery recycling facilities as Ghana embraces electric vehicles

Ghana's Minister for Environment, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has urged the creation of battery recycling facilities as the nation increasingly adopts electric vehicles. The Minister emphasized that such facilities would facilitate the proper management of used batteries and prevent hazardous chemicals from polluting the environment.

She explained that a robust battery recycling system is essential to ensure that the growing popularity of electric vehicles does not lead to new environmental problems linked to the improper disposal of used batteries. During a visit to the Zigin mining site in the Eastern Region, Agyeman-Rawlings, a Member of Parliament, toured the facility with the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

The trip aimed to evaluate the site's activities and underscore the significance of environmental conservation in Ghana's mining and industrial sectors. The call for battery recycling facilities follows a global trend towards electric vehicles as a greener alternative to traditional petrol- and diesel-powered cars. However, experts have stressed the importance of efficient systems for collecting, recycling, and safely disposing of used batteries to prevent environmental pollution.

Thus, setting up battery recycling facilities in Ghana could be crucial in fostering sustainable electric mobility while protecting the environment and public health.