Ghana Unveiled $7 Million in Grants to Tackle Plastic Waste Crisis

The recipients of the grant include companies such as Universal Plastic Products and Recycling Ghana (UPPR) and Nelplast Ghana Limited.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): In an attempt to address the growing problem of plastic trash, the government of Ghana, an African country, has started a $7 million award program. The funding will be used to increase the capability of nearby recycling companies.

Environment Minister Murtala Mohammed made the remark, emphasizing the urgent need to increase the nation's waste management initiatives. He pointed out that landfills and the ecosystem are still being contaminated by plastic garbage. Ghana uses over 1.1 million tons of plastic annually, of which only about 10% is recycled, according to estimated figures.

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Companies like Nelplast Ghana Limited and Universal Plastic Products and Recycling Ghana (UPPR) are among the award recipients.

Mohammad emphasized that in addition to greatly increasing the recycling capacity, the proposed funds will provide a great deal of employment opportunities, particularly for women and young people from low-income communities.

Environmentalists applauded the grant program and called for a transparent grant distribution process and an appropriate system to track grant utilization. But detractors noted that grants by themselves won't address Ghana's growing plastic trash problem. They demanded incentives for eco-friendly substitutes and more stringent prohibitions on single-use plastics.