Voltic, UGPRP and Coliba give pet value on World Environment Day

To encourage environmental conservation especially plastic waste management, Voltic (GH) Limited (Voltic) together with the University of Ghana Plastic Recycling Project (UGPRP) and Coliba Ghana organised a community awareness and buy-back programme in Glefe, a suburb in Dansoman in commemoration of 2019 World Environment Day.

Starting the programme with a door-to-door sensitization on the uses of plastic waste, how it can be collected and the amount that can be generated from plastics, community members had a chance to get money back for their collected plastics.

Voltic believes every package has value and life beyond its initial use and should be collected and recycled into either a new package or another beneficial use.

It is unacceptable that packages end up in the wrong place, in our oceans and waterways or littering the communities where we work and live.

Speaking at the event, MD of Voltic, Francois Gazania indicated that “We have a responsibility to help ensure our impact is a positive one and our actions inspire others to help generate solutions that leave our world better for generations to come. Voltic has, over the past years engaged various stakeholders to create an ecosystem that drive collective sustainable action towards managing our post- consumer plastics.”

The collaborative community engagement to mark world environment day was geared towards creating awareness on littering, encourage segregation of plastic waste while demonstrating the value of plastics through the buy-back system. And this, is a programme Voltic is going to champion every month in various communities across the country.

Prof. Appeaning Addo, Director of the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies also indicated “The University of Ghana (UG) is keen to play a leading role to address the plastic waste menace in the country and globally through the University of Ghana Plastic Recycling Project (UGPRP).

"UGPRP which is a student-led initiative under the Vice-Chancellor’s Green Team, has set the pace to promote waste segregation at source in the University community.

"With the support of the Institute of Environmental and sanitation Studies (IES) and the Environmental Services Unit of the University, there is a steady progress towards institutionalising waste segregation at source to serve as a model for the country.

"We strongly believe that through collaborative efforts from all the industry players along the waste management value chain, significant impact will be made as far as plastic waste management is concerned.

The UGPRP is determined to employ initiatives like today’s Waste Recovery and Awareness Exercise to propagate the need for promoting resource-use efficiency, sustainable consumption and circular economy in the country and beyond”.

“At the end of the programme, Coliba Services bought over 1000 kg of plastics. This plastic which could have ended in the dampsite will now find its way back into the value chain and that is what we are here for”, added Prince Agbata of Coliba Services.

Voltic acknowledges that collaboration is critical to achieving its goal of collecting and recycling 100% of all bottles sold by 2030, as such Voltic will continue to partner other organizations to find sustainable ways of helping improve the livelihoods of its customers, suppliers and employees while championing its “3Ws” focused on Women empowerment; water stewardship and waste management.

The Voltic Irecycle programme in association with Total Petroleum and Coliba as well as its active participation in the industry Coalition, GRIPE, testifies of Voltic’s belief in partnerships for good.