Waste Management

Waste Management in Ghana
GROUP NUMBER 4 LEVEL 200 INDEX NUMBER: BIT/DP/09/10/1063 NAME: DANQUAH ASIAMAH EMMANUEL TERM PAPER TOPIC: WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ACCRA OR TEMA THESIS: The effective waste management can be done by public education on environmental cleanliness, enough dumping grounds for the waste generated, the practice of the polluter pays all, inspection of sanitary inspectors, reduction of waste of a firm or individual, re-used in the production process, recovery of waste, rendering harmless, Recycling of waste, disposed off, and the provision of resources needed to manage the waste. The waste challenge in Ghana leaves much to be desired. Its herculean nature has occupied the attention of successive governments, local authorities and international community. Ghana like all other third world countries is confronted with the challenge of municipal waste which is all over the place. These wastes include garbage, energy, water containers, food and everyday items such as products packaging, glass chippings, clothing, food scraps, furniture, bottles and newspapers. This threatens the environment as well as the health of ordinary people (Benneh et al. 1993). The problem of how to manage waste has been a problem especially in the big cities in Accra, Tema, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Tamale. Waste management has been everyone’s business. Therefore, individuals, societies, and government must initiate these useful measures to prevent it effects. Public education on environmental cleanliness should be made available to all and sundry in order to create the necessary awareness. By this, the citizenry will know their responsibilities and contribute their quota to environmental management. This will help in managing waste in Ghana especially Accra or Tema. There should be enough dumping grounds for the waste generated to enhance their evacuation to the sites. The unavailability of such sites discourages waste management firms from carrying their assignment effectively. Therefore, there is the need for the government to reserve place especially marshy areas as a sites for dumping grounds. One way of enhancing environmental cleanliness is the practice of the polluter pays all. Here, it becomes the responsibility of whoever created the waste in the first place to be responsible for its management (Monney 1987). The firm or individual who pollutes or polluted the environment is charged with the task of “cleaning the dirt” i.e. can be charged with the cost of cleaning or be made to clean the mess, whichever way is deemed best. The recent revival of the sanitary inspectors by the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment would help check the indiscriminate disposal of household waste. This is because each household would be responsible for the cleanliness of their environment, failure of which could result in fines or court actions, this will help the country to have clean environment in order to avoid harmful diseases affected by waste environment (Adelaide 1995). In addition, another way of managing waste is by reduction of waste of a firm or individual. Under this strategy, the firm as well as the individual must review its waste management performance by making detailed assessment of waste generation and the measures to adopt to improve their performance. This reduction should help the firm in both quantitative and qualitative terms. It will also reduce the overload work of waste management personnel. Management should also be able to come out with measures that would ensure that the waste generated is re-used in the production process. A typical example of this re-use strategisation is the conversion of the waste from palm oil processing activities into energy to power the machines (of the oil mills). In a typical household, the generated waste can be used to fertilize the land for agricultural purposes. The re-use of empty bottles by the beverage firms is also a worthy example. Furthermore, the firm or household must try to recover or recollect the waste it has generated. One of such recovery strategies was implemented sometime ago by Fan Milk by paying people to collect their waste (plastics) for a fee. Attempts made recently by Mr. Stanley Adjiri Blankson, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (A.M.A.) boss, to compel sachet water producers to pay for the collection of their waste are a good example. Some of the waste generated has toxic components which are harmful to the environment as well as to humanity. By this strategy rendering harmless, firms and individuals are expected to strip the waste of its harmful effects before it is disposed off into the environment harmlessly or non-hazardously. This would not then become a public problem. For instance, in U.K, most of their plastic containers are made of starch so if they are disposed off, pathogens can work on it to biodegrade it thus making its disposal not environmentally hazardous. Germany does not encourage the use of plastics in packaging, is not yet another example of rendering the waste harmless. But, this cannot be said of plastic containers for bagging sachet water in Ghana. Moreover, another way of managing waste is the reprocessing of discarded materials into new, useful products. Recycling could be re-using materials for the same purpose e.g. recycling discarded plastics into plastics products or melting aluminium cans into new cans and bottles; or turning old discarded materials into entirely new products e.g. old tyres becoming rubberized of recycling road surfacing (Abankwa 1998). It will reduce energy consumption and air pollution. It cuts down on wastes drastically, rendering pressure on disposal systems. It saves money that is the cost of recycling is far lower than the cost of manufacturing a new product. In the advanced countries, many recycling programmes cover their own expenses. It also lowers demands for raw materials e.g. recycling a tone of aluminium could save four tones of bauxite. And also reduces litter on the environment. Another way for managing waste is the disposal or discarding the products after use. If the product after its usage cannot be used in any of the five ways as discussed above that is re-use, reduce, recover, recycle and rendering harmless, it must be disposed off. The authorities should provide the leadership and resources needed to manage the waste. Resources such as track, vehicles, protectors, wheelbarrows, groove etc. must be providing to waste management personnel in order to perform their duties effectively. Waste presents a fundamental challenge to the quality of the environment. This challenge is manifested in a number of ways through the unsustainable depletion of natural resources, by products of the production process and the waste created by consumers during and after use of the output of industrial activity. All these causes harmful effects therefore there is the need to prevent it effects by managing the waste effectively. A well manage waste reduces health related hazards such as the contraction of malaria, airborne diseases etc. and it leads to savings in inputs, management and disposal. REFERENCES Benneh, G. et al. 1993. Environmental problem and urban household in Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA). M.A.C. Stockholm. Ghana. Gourlay K.A. 1992. World of Waste, Dilemmas of industrial development. Zed Books Limited. London. Karley, N.A. 9th October, 1993. “Solid Waste and Pollution”. Daily Graphic , pp 5. Nze, F.C. 1978. “Managing Urban Waste in Nigeria for Social and Economic Development”. Journal of Management Studies, Logos. 5 Pacey, A. 1990. “Hygiene and Literacy”, in Kerr, C(ed), Community Health and Sanitation. Intermediate Technology Publications. Nigeria. Songsore, J. 1970. Review of Household and Environment Problems in Accra Metropolitan Area. Accra. Stirrup F.C. 1965. Public Cleaning, Refuse Disposal. Percamon Press. Oxford. Money J.G. 1987. Perspective of Waste Management in Ghana, Recycling Option Seminar on Abfall, Borse Stock exchange for Industrial Waste. Geoth Institution. Accra. Abankwa, B. 1998. The problems of Waste Management in Atonsu-Agogo, Kumasi. National population council,. Ashanti Press. Kumasi. Adelaide, A. 1995. Waste Management and Sanitation at James Town and Accra Central. University of Ghana. Logon.

References: Benneh, G. et al. 1993. Environmental problem and urban household in Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA). M.A.C. Stockholm. Ghana. Gourlay K.A. 1992. World of Waste, Dilemmas of industrial development. Zed Books Limited. London. Karley, N.A. 9th October, 1993. “Solid Waste and Pollution”. Daily Graphic , pp 5. Nze, F.C. 1978. “Managing Urban Waste in Nigeria for Social and Economic Development”. Journal of Management Studies, Logos. 5 Pacey, A. 1990. “Hygiene and Literacy”, in Kerr, C(ed), Community Health and Sanitation. Intermediate Technology Publications. Nigeria. Songsore, J. 1970. Review of Household and Environment Problems in Accra Metropolitan Area. Accra. Stirrup F.C. 1965. Public Cleaning, Refuse Disposal. Percamon Press. Oxford. Money J.G. 1987. Perspective of Waste Management in Ghana, Recycling Option Seminar on Abfall, Borse Stock exchange for Industrial Waste. Geoth Institution. Accra. Abankwa, B. 1998. The problems of Waste Management in Atonsu-Agogo, Kumasi. National population council,. Ashanti Press. Kumasi. Adelaide, A. 1995. Waste Management and Sanitation at James Town and Accra Central. University of Ghana. Logon.