CALL FOR COLLABORATION AGAINST PLASTIC WASTE MENACE (PAGE 29)

A PLASTIC waste management company in Kumasi, Do Something New Company, has challenged metropolitan authorities to collaborate with the private sector to rid the city of plastic waste.
It says the metropolitan authorities alone cannot deal with the plastic waste menace, and that collaboration with the private sector is the surest way of dealing with the situation and ensuring a sound environment.
The Director of Finance an Administration of Do Something New Company, Mrs Agnes Eyiah-Mensah, who made the call, said it was possible for the metropolitan assemblies and other district assemblies to collect the plastic wastes for the companies to purchase.
She told the Daily Graphic that plastic waste could create environmental problems and so it was good that waste management companies such as theirs, came up to help solve the problem.
“It is important for the companies, the assemblies and the government to work together to ensure that the waste was collected, bought and put to other important uses," she said.
The director stressed the need for the government to come in to support the companies in their efforts to maintain clean environment, while creating jobs for the people through plastic waste collection.
“We therfore appeal to the government to support us with credit facilities to enable us expand,” she said.
She said her outfit, for instance, wanted to go into the export of plastic waste and the support of the government would help realise the dream.
“Currently, we are seeking partners outside the country for the export of the waste,” she said.
“If this is done, we would be in a position to employ more of the youth who are roaming the streets doing virtually nothing,” she said.
Mrs Eyiah-Mensah noted that plastic waste management was one of theº relatively new areas that were fast gaining roots in the quest to maintain a clean environment.
She stated that by engaging in the purchase of plastic waste, they were supporting the efforts of the government and stakeholders to reduce flooding, which destroyed life and property, as well as the menace of water-borne diseases, especially malaria.