{
  "id": 3763971,
  "title": "Zanetor calls on CSIR to explore hemp, cassava for plastic alternatives",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/zanetor-calls-on-csir-to-explore-hemp-cassava-for-plastic-alternatives",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-27T15:14:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Adom Online",
    "slug": "adom-online",
    "url": "https://www.adomonline.com/zanetor-calls-on-csir-to-explore-hemp-cassava-for-plastic-alternatives/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the upcoming Environment, Science and Technology Minister, has urged the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to invest in researching biological substitutes for conventional plastics. During her appearance before Parliament's Appointments Committee, she emphasized the need to allocate more resources towards discovering plant-based materials that can be utilized to create biodegradable plastic substitutes, such as hemp and cassava. These materials, she believes, can decompose more easily and reduce their long-term environmental impact. The Minister also mentioned the upcoming ban on polystyrene and single-use plastics, proposing that funding should be directed towards the CSIR to explore these alternatives.",
  "summary": "Minister-designate for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has called for increased investment in the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to develop biological alternatives to conventional plastics as part of measures to address Ghana’s growing plastic waste problem. Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, 2026,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}