The Ghana Recycling Initiative by Private Enterprises (GRIPE) is urging stronger accountability measures in the fight against plastic pollution.

Formed in 2017 under the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), GRIPE said it is working with stakeholders to design an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework and stands ready as the government prepares to implement a Voluntary Producer Responsibility Organisation (vPRO) by early 2026.

“From classrooms to policy rooms, GRIPE is setting the standard for inclusive, scalable sustainability,” the coalition noted in a statement.

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It stressed that recycling alone cannot solve the problem without systemic change.

"GRIPE has rolled out several community projects, including a toilet facility built with over two tonnes of plastic waste at Domeabra M/A JHS, buyback centres in Effiakuma and Chorkor to support waste collectors, and the donation of 100 eco-desks made from recycled materials to schools in the Ga West District," the statement added.

Additionally, the corporate coalition now includes Coca-Cola, Guinness Ghana, Voltic, FanMilk, Unilever, Mohinani Group, Nestlé, Accra Brewery, Dow Chemical, and GB Foods. Mohinani recently opened Ghana’s first bottle-to-bottle PET recycling plant, a $16 million facility processing 15,000 tonnes annually.

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“As Ghana moves to implement a plastics strategy, it’s not just about recycling, it’s about rethinking systems and reshaping the future of packaging and waste management in Ghana and beyond,” GRIPE emphasised.

MA