Government has been urged to consider waiving taxes on imports of waste management equipment and logistics.
A Research Consultant of Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA), Matilda Owusu, made the call at a one-day plastic recycling conference in Accra last Wednesday.
According to her, such a move will encourage more waste management companies to work towards ridding the country of filth.
The plastic recycling conference, which was a organised by Universal Plastic Products and Recycling (UPPR), a subsidiary of Jospong Group of Companies, brought together tricycle waste management collectors and other stakeholders in the sanitation sector.
It was on the theme: “Adding value to plastics.”
It was also aimed at sensitisng participants on the enormous benefits of plastic products and ways in improving upon plastic waste products.
Madam Owusu also called on stakeholders in the plastic industry to think outside the box and look for more sustainable ways of dealing with plastic waste in the country.
In her estimation though plastics take longer time to decompose banning should not be considered as an option to dealing with plastic waste in the country.
She also used the opportunity to call on government to enforce the sanitation by-laws.
This, she pointed out, will encourage the citizens to treat the environment with respect, “bearing in mind that when we fall foul of any environmental by-law(s) we will be punished.”
For his part, Chief Programme Officer (CPO) of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Godson Cudjoe Voado, assured that his outfit will continue to work closely with waste management companies to ensure that “our environs and regularly kept clean.”
Mr. Voado indicated that a concerted effort was needed by all the stakeholders in the plastic industry to deal with the issue of waste plastic materials.
Later, the participants were taken through some of the benefits of plastics. These included providing job opportunities, enhancing livelihoods, encouraging entrepreneurial skills development and helping to ensure clean environs.
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