CCCFS calls for ban of single-use plastics

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By
Yussif Ibrahim, GNA

Kumasi, Feb. 20, GNA
– 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.

GNA