The Interim National President of The Local Government Service Association of Physical Planners (LoGSAPP), Mrs Gifty Nyarko, has urged traders especially market women to use paper bags to package items for their customers instead of plastic.
She said a collective and decisive approach is required for the country to manage plastic waste and create a friendly environment.
She expressed concern about indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste across the country, saying it is causing chocked gutters, food poisoning and flooding among communities, hence, if improper disposal of waste is not brought under control it would have a devastating toll on our environment.
“It is incumbent for everybody to contribute to proper management of plastic waste by using paper packages which are friendly to the environment”, she said.
Mrs Nyarko also the Head of the Physical Development Planning Department of the Sunyani West Municipal Assembly in the Bono Region, observed that indiscriminate disposal and improper use of plastic waste threatened environmental sustainability and contributed to climate change.
She entreated the public to be wary of the long-term consequences of plastic waste and minimize the use of plastic materials, saying improper disposal of plastic waste and materials worsened the impact of climate change, loss of soil fertility and contributed to extreme heat.
Mrs Nyarko said plastic waste materials exposes Ghana and makes it highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change because of its dependence on agriculture. She therefore, urged the public to prioritize environmental protection and contribute towards environmental sustainability.
When plastic bags break down, they can release harmful chemicals such as Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which can contaminate the food chain. However, if these chemicals enter water sources or soil, they can end up in the food consumed by humans, potentially leading to health problems, including endocrine disruption and cancer.
Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has warned the public and industries of the use of plastics in their day-to-day operations.
It said the production of one ton of polypropylene produces about 3.7 to 7.5 tons of carbon dioxide, which supercharged the natural greenhouse effect, hence causing global temperatures to increase.
Therefore, the control of industry use of plastic products, particularly polypropylene bags are more critical and crucial than ever.
