Ghana could significantly cut its energy expenses by producing diesel, petrol, and other fuels from plastic waste, according to Professor James R. Dankwah, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Mining and Minerals Technology at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa.
Delivering his inaugural lecture on Waste Plastics, a Modern-Day Resource Paradox: Leveraging its Positive Attributes for an Environmentally Sustainable Metals Production, Prof. Dankwah highlighted that plastic waste, when efficiently managed, could become a valuable resource for energy generation.
“Waste plastics have both advantages and disadvantages, but those disadvantages only come when they are poorly managed. We can set up an oil-making industry in Ghana based solely on plastics and other locally available raw materials,” he said, urging government support for such an initiative.
Globally, plastic production has surged from 2 million tonnes in 1950 to 400 million tonnes in 2022, growing at 8.4% annually.
Each year, over 350 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated, but only 9% is recycled, with the rest ending up in landfills, incinerators, or the environment.
Prof. Dankwah explained that plastics contain carbon and hydrogen, key reductants for producing metals from ores.
UMaT research has shown that using waste plastics in metal production can significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions and energy costs by replacing carbon monoxide with synthetic gas.
Globally, about 4% of crude oil production is used to make plastics through polymerisation. UMaT researchers are now applying the reverse process, depolymerisation, to convert plastic waste back into liquids that can produce kerosene, aviation fuel, and even premix fuel for fishermen.
“This technology can produce fuel at 50% to 70% of the normal price, delivering massive savings for the energy sector and improving fuel availability,” he said. Prof.
Prof. Dankwah stressed that adopting such innovations could not only cut energy bills but also address Ghana’s plastic waste challenge while boosting industrial efficiency.
