Voltic Ghana Limited (VOLTIC), as part of activities commemorating World Environment Day, has undertaken a beautification project using plastic bottles, to create awareness on innovative alternatives for plastic use.

The project dubbed “Voltic Beats Plastic Pollution”, saw some Voltic employees, volunteers from Mckingtorch Creative, a plastic recycling organisation; and members of the Ga North Municipality using plastic bottles to fabricate a fence around the Ofankor roundabout, create a Christmas tree and flower pots as well as garden chairs.

Ms. Joyce Ahiadorme, the Public Affairs and Communication Manager of Voltic, said plastic management was a shared responsibility and as a result, the management of Voltic Limited has decided to reach out to communities, starting from the Ga North Municipality to sensitize and educate people on the need to recycle plastic waste in their environment.

“We need to be able to educate people and sensitise them about the alternative ways they can use plastics; even though this will not solve the plastic problem permanently, it will get them exposed to beat plastic pollutions,” she stressed.

She said it was up to the consumer to realise that once the environment was not clean, there was the need to avoid polluting it more, since it affected lives, adding that, to beat plastic pollution people must first change their mind set and begin to recognise and utilise it as a resource.

She encouraged the government to put in measures to ensure that everybody did what society demanded and treat the environment as their homes.

Ms Humu Dilley Saeed, the Assembly member for the Ofankor Electoral Area, expressed gratitude to Voltic for introducing the initiative to the Municipality.

She said “all citizens must ensure Ghana is clean and this can only be achieved as a result of a collective effort, therefore as a nation trying to combat plastic pollution, citizens must come together to ensure plastic waste is collected and recycled for a secondary use”.

Mrs Moira Nancy Ewa, the Municipal Co-ordinating Director, Ga North Municipal Assembly, said plastic waste had become a nuisance and a challenge to manage in Ghana, therefore everyone needed to use the initiative to recycle plastic in their little ways.

She said the re-use, reduction and recycling of plastic, had been strategies employed in other countries to improve economic stability.

“We must also try and remain committed to collaborations geared towards sustainability of our environment and advance towards the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 of ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns,” she added.