The Eastern Regional Education Directorate, in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Ltd, has launched a Waste Segregation pilot program in nine selected Basic Schools in the New Juabeng South Municipality.
The initiative aims to separate plastic waste from other waste generated in schools for recycling purposes and to reduce the accumulation of plastics in storm drains, rivers, and streams.
Godfried Caesar, the Eastern Regional Schools Health and Education Programme (SHEP) Coordinator, explained that the primary objective is to maintain clean school environments by segregating waste in different dustbins.
Plastic waste, such as water sachets and bottles, will be sold to recycling companies, and the proceeds will be used to meet some essential needs of the schools to enhance teaching and learning.
The project is also intended to mitigate environmental degradation caused by plastic pollution, as plastics buried in the soil through improper waste disposal contribute to pollution. Caesar called for support and collaboration from organizations to expand the project to all 52 schools in the Municipality and beyond, following a successful pilot phase.
Faustina Shardey, Eastern Regional Coordinator of Zoomlion Ghana, noted that the initiative aligns with the “Zero Waste” campaign ongoing in Accra. Zoomlion Ghana has provided each of the nine schools with two dustbins, liners, and other accessories to facilitate the implementation of the project.