Granulator for dismantling electronic waste inaugurated

A Granulator for reducing the burning of cables at the Agbogbloshie dumpsite, a suburb of Accra was inaugurated in Accra on Thursday.

The granulator which is the first step to environmentally and sustainably dismantle electronic waste was financed by the Germany Embassy.

Speaking at the inauguration, Mr Jurgen Meinel, Managing Director, City Waste Recycling, the operating company of the granulator, observed that during the last German-Ghanaian governmental negotiations on development cooperation in June 2015 in Berlin, Germany, Ghana decided to strengthen the cooperation in the field of waste management, especially electronic waste management.

He said the activities of recycling started 20 years ago and with the inauguration of the granulator, there would be extensive progress in the city’s waste management.

“There is going to be a three tonnes per shift per day, and waste resources are going to increase with the establishment of waste collection points,” he said.

Mr Meinel appealed to stakeholders to give E-waste to only recognised recycling companies as doing so would stop the E-waste menace in the country.

Dr Bernice Adiku Heloo, Deputy Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), lauded the German Embassy and the City Waste Recycling officials for the project that would help control carbon emission in the country.

She said government was concerned about carbon emission globally and Ghana in particularly and the inauguration of the granulator was timely.

Dr Adiku Heloo told the GNA that the project simplified the whole E-waste management as there would not be the need to burn anything.

“This initiative is also going to generate employment especially with the establishment of the collection points.

“It is also saving the environment, saving ourselves from diseases, employing and making money,” she said.

The Deputy Minister therefore called for collaborative efforts among all stakeholders to help fight against carbon emission for the citizens to live in a safe environment.

Mr Rudiger John, the German Ambassador to Ghana, said the project formed part of Germany’s efforts to protect the environment and also put Ghana in a position to promote waste management.

“This will also help improve waste management that will help Ghana to find right legal grounds for waste management and sustaining management in this area,” Mr John said.

Mr John A. Pwamang, Deputy Executive Director, Field Operations, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pledged the EPA’s support and called for continuous collaboration among stakeholders and City Waste Recycling for the goal to be worthwhile.