Sachet water producers are now complying with directives- Chairman

Accra, 11 Dec. GNA - Mr. Ebbo Botwe, Chairman of the Plastic Waste Management Committee on Tuesday expressed his satisfaction at the rate at which sachet water producers were complying with the directives from the committee to register their businesses before operating in the Central Business District (CBD).

"The rate at which we use to impound these unregistered vehicles since the inception of this programme has reduced as the days go by. I would peg compliance with this new directive at 90 per cent." In an interview with the GNA on Tuesday, Mr. Botwe said in the past eight days, 73 of the 82 vehicles impounded by the AMA Task Force had gone to register because they were able to furnish the committee with the necessary requirements.

"The remaining . have not been able to register because they could not provide us with the necessary certification document from the Ghana Standards Board or the Food and Drugs Board although they have their logo on their product and this is an indication that some of the sachet water on the market are unwholesome," he added.

He said the committee had noted that due to its decision to impound unregistered trucks, some of the producers had stopped transacting business in the CBD and that in no time the exercise would be extended to other parts of Accra.

He said so far Gratis Foundation had mounted 150 plastic collection bins at vantage points and in no time a second batch of 300 bins would also be made available.

He said the estimated cost for the production of the bins alone cost the committee 45 million old cedis.

The chairman said, so far 2,700 Identity Cards had been distributed to sachet water sellers in Accra and expressed satisfaction with the way the National Association of Sachet Water Producers (NASWAP) and others had complied with the directives.