The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency are set to commission the construction of a State-Of-The-Art E-Waste Recycling Facility at Agbogbloshie in the Greater Accra Region.
Estimated at $30 million for the first phase, the facility is expected to recycle all waste electrical and electronic equipment to final products in an environmentally sound manner, relieving the people of Accra and its environs, specifically Agbogbloshie community of toxic pollutants generated from the burning of e-waste.
This would enable Ghana save about 200 million dollars it spends annually, on containing the health impacts of electronic waste disposal, with the construction of an e-waste recycling plant in Accra. The facility, among others, seeks to restore the once serene ecological zone of Agbogbloshie within the Greater Accra region.
According to Mr. Francis Bullen Gavor, Project Consultant, “One of Africa’s Biggest E-waste Dump- Agbogbloshie in recent times has been cited among the top ten most polluted sites in the world.
The home to most electronic scrap dealers in Ghana is Agbogbloshie, and is considered one of the top ten contributors of toxic waste across the globe.
In addition, residents and scavengers of the electronic items are subject to harmful substances which affect the quality of life.
It is therefore important to find innovative ways to manage the e-waste generated in the area. With this new facility, harmful elements associated with waste products will be captured and processed safely, thereby preserving critical ecological components”.
Touching on additional benefits, Mr. Gavor indicated that the facility together with its entire value chain is expected to generate over 400,000 jobs for Ghanaians.
“The facility will hire existing Workers of the Agbogbloshie Scrap Yard and others who will undergo in-depth retraining to enable them undertake proper recycling”.
When fully implemented, it will ensure the value-chain management of e-waste and electrical equipment in an environmentally sound manner thus turning the current challenges of E-waste management in the country into green business opportunities for the people of Ghana.
Source: Chris Joe Quaicoe/ email: [email protected]
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