Policy think tank, STRANEK-Africa, has urged government to engage more in recycling of waste than resorting to landfill method of waste disposal.

According to the group, the treatment and disposal of waste can produce emissions of several greenhouse gases which contributes to global climate change as we are currently experiencing. It revealed that the climate impact of waste is becoming difficult to ignore due to its contribution towards the human-driven methane emissions.

STRANEK Africa noted that landfill opens room for high levels of methane gas and carbon dioxide through the waste decomposition.

“STRANEK-Africa has deliberated on this situation and wants to advocate on how city waste can be handled. Recycling waste should be done more than resorting to the landfill method. It goes a long way to reduce emissions as well as greenhouse gases.”
STRANEK-Africa

The policy think tank stated that albeit Government is doing something about recycling, it should be encouraged so that everyone can get involved.

Additionally, it explained that there must be strict compliance with existing environmental legislations and bye-laws in the conveyance, handling and disposal of waste.

“No one should be left off the hook when one is found engaging in illegal disposal of waste.”
STRANEK-Africa

To comprehensively manage waste disposal, STRANEK-Africa highlighted the need for government to find ways to stop people from shipping waste products into the country. It underscored that companies like Zoomlion Waste Management Experts, Jekora Ventures Limited, Waste Landfills Company Limited, Dispose Green, BD Waste and others are actually some of the big waste management companies in Ghana, hence it is important for them to up their game to improve on city waste management.

Impact of climate change on weather conditions

Highlighting on the impact of climate change, STRANEK-Africa revealed that it has brought disruption in the country’s temperature and weather conditions.

Hitherto, it explained that temperature and weather conditions were predictable but it is not so anymore.

“Human activities are a contributing factor which have caused more harm than good regarding climate change. Burning of oil, coal, gas and poor management of waste have been some of the causes of our climate change.”
STRANEK-Africa

Managing waste, the policy think tank emphasized, is a key factor so far as sanitation is concerned. In fact, it noted that it is of critical importance to public health, human dignity, climate resilience and environmental preservation.

“Indeed, cleanliness being next to Godliness is tied to making sure that there is effective waste management. Of course, it cannot be denied that waste is an inevitable bi-product of human life.”
STRANEK-Africa

STRANEK-Africa expressed that the effective and efficient management of waste is a challenge in Ghana especially in the cities. It noted that residents in the cities have an attitude of not disposing off waste in an appropriate manner by littering indiscriminately including burning of rubbish, dumping rubbish into gutters among others.

“To be blunt, the way waste is managed is a chief factor which affects climate change. The rising population growth in the cities have brought about large quantities of waste and the authorities in charge of waste management are overwhelmed in managing the waste in a sanitary manner.”
STRANEK-Africa

Also, the policy think tank stated that the use of tricycles popularly known as ‘aboboyaa’, wheelbarrows, power tillers, three-wheeled tractors and headloads are overly depended on to transport waste and most of these simple equipment owners dispose of the waste through landfill, open dumping, burning and burying.