CCCFS calls for ban of single-use plastics

The Centre for Climate Change and Food Security (CCCFS), is advocating the ban of single-use plastics in the country to avert its harmful impacts on the environment and bio diversity.

Consequently, CCCFS is in the process of sending a petition to the Electoral Commission (EC) to consider encouraging the use of alternative voting materials for election campaigns, rather than non-degradable single-use plastics.

Mr. Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen, Executive Director of CCCFS told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Kumasi that his outfit is additionally engaging the government of Ghana and educational institutions to ban single-use plastics, as a way of tackling the plastic waste menace.

“The Centre would provide evidence to convince the government to prohibit the manufacturing and use of plastic carry bags below 50-micron thickness”, he explained.

According to him, the growing plastic production and public use over the past two decades, had created a number of environmental and health problems, which included choked drains and water bodies as well as indiscriminate littering.

Mr Mohammed-Nurudeen said the problem needed pragmatic and decisive steps to be tackled head-on.

He said burning the plastics was not a viable alternative as its smoke also released some harmful toxins into the atmosphere.

Enumerating his outfit’s other plans to deal with the challenge, he said a pilot project to lobby Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Ashanti Region to strictly ban single-use plastics such as drinking straws, plastic cutlery and plates, would soon be on course.

The Executive Director further indicated that scientists and researchers at the Centre were looking at how to enhance waste management systems and promote the use of eco-friendly sustainable alternatives progressively.

He cited the use of bio-degradable garbage bags in bins and the installation of plastic bottle crushing machines at various MMDAs.

The Centre was also laying down standard guidelines to be followed by all political parties regarding single-use plastics, ahead of the 2020 election.