Accra to turn waste into wealth

The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra has expressed it readiness to partner Caritas Ghana and other stakeholders to turn tones of electronic wastes into wealth and help preserve the earth.

Shot of old discarded TV sets culled from the net.

Most Rev. Charles G. Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, who decried the threat electronic and plastic waste posed to the country, voiced the enthusiasm of the Archdiocese to see to the fruition of the soon-to-commence Caritas E-Waste Project in the Archdiocese.

The Archbishop made these remarks after a recent Senate meeting at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Adabraka, where Officials of Caritas Ghana, the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS) and City Waste, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) briefed the meeting about the need for the project to save and preserve the earth.

The Caritas E-Waste ‘Care for our Common Home’ project, launched in October 2017, was a response to calls by Pope Francis in his second encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ and the GCBC for immediate action to address electronic waste and ultimately help preserve earth.

Archbishop Palmer-Buckle observed that “as human beings we have been destroying our environment through improper disposal of our waste to our own detriment,” adding that by purchasing the latest technological devices, people inadvertently create so much waste (e-waste)”.

E-waste dump culled from Alamy stock photo

Through the project, the Archbishop noted that e-waste would be properly disposed of in ways that were environmentally friendly and safe, which would help preserve the earth and avert the destruction and further pollution of the environment.

Aside preserving the environment, he noted that the project would also create gainful employment for the youth who would be engaged when the project rolls out.

To this end, the Archbishop mentioned that the Accra Archdiocesan Youth Council and the parishes would be involved to help conscientise and mobilise the youth to take advantage of the opportunities the project would avail them.

According to Mr. Samuel Zan Akologo, Executive Secretary, Department of Human Development/Caritas Ghana at the National Catholic Secretariat, Caritas Ghana and City Waste were ready to partner the Archdiocese of Accra in piloting the E-Waste Project.

With huge tones of e-waste generated in Accra, the Executive Secretary, explained that after the successful piloting in the national capital, the project would be scaled up and extended to other Arch/Dioceses in the country.

Mrs. Vivian Atiayibor, Managing Directress of City Waste, stated that her company has a state of the arts facility to enable the implementation of the project, as well as follow safety standard rules to ensure that the project was succussful.

Touching on the legal frameworks in the control and management of electronic waste, Mr. Lambert Faabeluon, Director of the Standards, Compliance and Enforcement Division at the EPA, commended Caritas Ghana for the value it was bringing in formalising the e-waste collection in the country.