Environment Minister visits Accra Compost & Recycling Plant

The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Mahama Ayariga, has advocated increased private participation in waste management in Ghana.

Speaking after a tour of the Accra Compost and Recycling Plant, the minister stressed the need for technological advancement in managing the country’s waste which continued to be a burden on the government.

He also identified the importance of innovative projects aimed at sustaining a clean and healthy environment.

The minister, who was in the company of the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr Daniel Amlalo, and some other stakeholders in the sector, visited the plant to familiarise himself with operations of the company.

The visit also enabled the minister and his entourage to understand the various roles the Accra Compost and Recycling Plant (ACARP) had played in the overall waste management process in selected, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in Accra, especially servicing the Accra Metropolitan Area (AMA), Ga South, Ga Central, Ga West, Ga East, La Dade-Kotopon, Ledzokuku-Krowor, Adentan; Akuapem South and the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality in the Eastern Region over the past three years of its inception.

Faecal waste plant

The minister was also conducted round the ongoing state-of-the-art faecal waste treatment plant which is 80 per cent complete and expected to be inaugurated by the close of the year.

This plant, when completed, according to the Managing Director of ACARP, Dr Richard Amponsah, would receive over 1,000m3 (100 trucks) liquid waste from various MMDAs as earlier mentioned which would have otherwise been discharged directly into the sea.

The strategic project would assist in managing a lot of sanitary-related diseases such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid.

??The addition gain to the project is also as learning centres for students (ranging from primary to the university level), researchers, policy makers and the media?. This would generate about 200 additional jobs into the local economy.

The integrated facility is designed to host treatments plants that include: Sorting Plant, Composting Plant, Plastic recycling, Faecal waste treatment, Refuse Derived Fuels (RDF) productions, Waste to Energy (Biogas and Thermal derived energy) and a residual section.Presently ACARP is processing and producing compost, recyclables, plastic pellets, RDF; which are sold locally and also exported. Currently, ACARP is the largest producer of compost in Ghana.

Production of waste bins

Dr Amponsah revealed the company’s plans of producing waste bins and recreational furniture from the recovered plastics from the solid waste received at the site. The facility’s machinery and equipment had been received and were being installed at the time of the visit.

“In spite of the challenges in the past three years of operation, ACARP has expanded its operations to fully integrate waste management processes in the country, especially in Accra,” he said.

Mr Ayariga commended the management of ACARP for the immense contributions at sustaining the environment with its simple and innovative facilities.

He urged the management of the facility to continue with the good works and strive to bring various innovative projects into operation to help create a better Ghana for all.

The minister indicated that companies working to solve environmental challenges in Ghana could always count on his support.