COMMODIFICATION OF WASTE IN GHANA
 By Dulcie Delali Attipoe 
 
Over the years, waste management in Ghana has raised a lot of concerns with some waste management companies facing difficulties in discarding collected waste from the various homes. The normal trend in Ghana is, people will actually put together all kinds of waste into one trash can unlike other countries where wastes are separated and can be recycled. 

It is also normal to walk on the streets and see waste being dumped in gutters, on the streets and even at the market places where we buy our foods. How does a country fight malaria if they do not look at their environment first? One can blame this problem on the waste management companies in Ghana for their failure to do their work properly. But the question is how do they help us if we do not help ourselves by changing our attitude towards the way we treat our waste in the country.

What we fail to realize is that, dumpsites are things of the past and now, we as a country have to look at the scientific way of managing our waste. Do you think people will throw rubbish anywhere if they know they can benefit a lot from that same waste? 

It is high time Ghanaians consider that option of waste management by learning to separate rubber waste from food waste right from our homes. It is obvious most Ghanaians do not know what use this will be to the nation. By so doing, the waste management companies can also collect them or even buy from the households and also sell them to various companies, thereby making money while these companies also benefit from it.

All hope is not lost yet as few people are beginning to appreciate the use of waste products in the country. Some Ghanaians obviously have the expertise in waste management - some people have done unimaginable things out of waste materials in Ghana.
It will surprise you to know that pure water, fan milk and yoghurt wrappers are being used to produce exclusive hand bags in Ghana where some are exported.

“Trashy Bags” is a local company which collects rubber waste such as pure water, fan milk and yogut wrappers and puts them into high quality expensive bags used across the country.
 

Mr. Samuel Ansah popularly known as “Nyamanyama” is also one of the few Ghanaians who have redefined waste in a very artistic way. This man has used waste materials in building one of the most sort apartments in the capital of Ghana. He calls it “the wheel story”. Who would have thought that just recycled waste can build such a huge mansion?

THE WHEEL STORY

   
The question here is why still struggle with waste in the country if waste can be managed in a more profitable manner with just a little effort. Of course, it will not be easy to change the style of treating waste in the country where people mix all kinds of waste together.
Go to the streets, what do you see? Waste scattered everywhere. This is highly a matter of attitudinal change among Ghanaians which requires a little bit of discipline and commitment. 

Change attitude towards waste!

DDA ideas

Comments

  1. Unknown8 September 2015 at 10:02

    oooh! yeah . . . this is really nice . . . where are u locate?

    ReplyDelete

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