The Coordinating Dean of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Obuasi campus, Prof. Richard Buamah, has revealed that plastic waste accounts for 85 percent of total waste in the ocean.
He warned that the dire situation does not seem to end and could triple in the coming years if proper measures are not put in place to curb it.
“Currently, plastics account for 85 percent of all marine litter. By 2040, it will nearly triple, adding 23 to 37million metric tonnes of waste to the ocean per year. This seems to be about 50 kilogrammes of plastic waste per metre of coastline. Due to these, all-marine lives face grave risk of behavioural disorder, starvation and suffocation.”
Prof. Buamah said this when he addressed a durbar of chiefs, pupils and stakeholders at Obuasi to mark this year’s World Environment Day organised by AngloGold Ashanti.
He bemoaned that the use of single-use plastic is on the high, stating chemicals used in its production have harmful effects on the environment and have been linked to certain diseases.
“It is an established fact that more than 10,000 chemicals are used in these plastics – of which 25 percent are potentially dangerous and linked to diseases like cancer and diabetes,” he added.
Meanwhile, during the celebration Senior Manager Sustainability, Environment for AngloGold Ashanti, George Owusu-Ansah, indicated that the mine has partnered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other stakeholders to enhance environmental sustainability on plastic waste management.
<<Print>>