PLASTIC SITUATION IN GHANA: Over 1,384 Plastic Bottles are Within every 100 Meters Walk Along The Independence Beach (Borlar Beach).

Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE-Ghna), Eco-Schools Ghana and Green Africa Youth Organization together with the Norwegian Embassy put together a symbolic activity in making a personal commitment to ditch single-use plastics to help save our oceans and our own basis for living.

According to a recent report from the Environmental Investigation Agency, global plastics production has soared from 5 million tonnes a year in the 1960s to a staggering 299 million tonnes in 2013, with uses ranging from packaging and toys to clothes, computers and beauty products.

An estimated 4.8-12.7 million tonnes of plastics enter the world’s oceans every year due to littering and inadequate waste management. Without action to address the problem, this figure is expected to increase to as much as 28 million tonnes a year by 2025.

THE BEACH CLEAN UP: The beach clean up activity took place on 13th May 2018 from 7.00 am to 1.00 pm (GMT). The activity brought together dignities, environmental activists, environmental enthusiasts from various sectors including but not limited to – government sector, the private sector, foreign consulates in Ghana, artists, educational and research institutions, individual concerned publics/citizens, NGOs, etc. to collaborate in the realization of the objectives of the event:

- Advocating for a Clean Ghana and Clean Oceans by elimination of single-use plastics and the reduction in the usage of all plastics.

- Educating the general public on the effects of plastics on human health, the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem.

SEARCH & RESULTS : As plastic pollution is on the rise and threatening the health of all ecosystems, a simple search was conducted at the Independence Beach (Borla Beach) where the beach clean up took place to help give an idea of the amount of plastics in Ghanaian beaches. A stretch of about 50 meters by 10 meters along the beach was measured and all plastic bottles within this demarcated area was picked and counted. At the end , 692 plastic bottles was gathered from the area. The Independence Beach is about 3 kilometers. In an estimation, 1,384 plastic bottles are within every 100 meters walk along the beach. All these amount of plastic bottles eventually find their way into the ocean.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

We can reduce plastic pollution by encouraging people to use alternatives to plastics. 

Educate people about the effects of plastic pollution and ways in which it can be prevented or controlled.

Instead of throwing away plastic bottles, we can collect them and give them to companies that engage in the recycling of plastics. 

As clearly recommended by seasoned Environmentalist Ernestina Annobea,

People must be encouraged to reuse their plastic bags instead of always purchasing new ones. Moreover, Environment Protection Agency should partner with other environmental organizations to work on sensitization initiatives that will sensitize Ghanaians on the effect of improper disposal of plastics as well as the general usage of it.