The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) in collaboration with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) and the University of Ghana has launched Edible and Compostable Packaging Pilot Project.
The objective of the project is to showcase the potential of edible and compostable packaging as a sustainable alternative to phase-out Single Use Plastics (SUP) sachets and bottles as well as food and sauce containers.
In an address at the ceremony in Accra on Wednesday, the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, reiterated the government's resolve to formulate policies geared towards mitigating the effects of plastic waste in the country.
"Public concern regarding plastics in the environment has become a major issue due to the aesthetic, environmental and health challenges they present.
"It is, therefore, in this direction that the Government of Ghana is committed to taking major policy decisions and concrete measures to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts that plastics pose to development," he stated.
Dr Afriyie emphasised that the strong political commitment to reducing plastic waste was evident in the launch of the Ghana National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) in October 2019.
He added that the government's commitment to fighting against the plastic menace is also indicative in the formulation the National Plastics Management Policy (NPMP) which has since been approved by Cabinet.
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"The objective of the policy is to among other things, grow the economy, create jobs and protect the environment to ensure sustainable development," he added.
The Minister hinted that, MESTI is partnering with the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions to implement a project on "Marine Litter and Microplastics: Promoting the Environmentally Sound Management of Plastic Waste" with funding from the Norwegian Development Cooperation Agency (NORAD).
"This particular project seeks to achieve three principal aims including: minimize the generation of hazardous wastes in terms of quantity and degree of hazard; Control transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and other wastes and to promote the Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of hazardous wastes and other wastes," he added.
The launch of the Edible and Compostable Packaging Pilot Project showcased a variety of products that are flexible packaging solutions made from edible seaweed and plant extracts that can biodegrade within a matter of four-to-six weeks.
