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As Ghana joins the world in celebrating World Consumer Rights Day which falls on March 15 each year, CUTS Ghana, the research, advocacy and public policy think tank has launched a campaign to raise awareness and inspire consumers to adopt and promote more sustainable practices to tackle the threat of plastic pollution in the country.
A recent research report from PEW Charitable Trust & System, titled “Breaking the plastic wave ” calculates a tripling of the flow of plastics into the sea by 2040 if major policy changes, innovations and behavioral changes do not occur. The report further reveals that by 2050, it is estimated that there will be more plastics in the sea than fish. He further estimates that 8 million tonnes of plastics end up in the sea each year and that single-use plastics such as plastic forks and knives, shopping bags, coffee mug lids, water bottles and take-out containers account for 50% of these plastics per year. .
Countryside
Speaking to reporters in Accra on the relevance of this year’s global theme “Fight against plastic waste Pollution”CUTS Ghana Country Director Mr. Appiah Kusi Adomako said the focus was on the central role that consumers and advocates, government, individual households and businesses can play in addressing the threat of pollution by plastic waste in the capital.
“Although plastics can be a very useful material in our daily lives, our consumption and production has become unsustainable. This trend has an impact on our ecosystems and leads to negative environmental consequences and threatens our health and well-being, hence the campaign, ”he added.
Mr Adomako proposed systemic market change at all levels of government, Ghanaians, local and international businesses and standard setters to make tackling plastic pollution and sustainable consumption the easy choice for consumers.
He advised consumers to adopt the circular waste management model of the 7Rs; rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, repair and replace to curb the trend.
In his remarks, CUTS Ghana Communications Officer Mr. Shadrack Nii Yarboi Yartey also explained that now is the time to highlight, treat and tackle plastic pollution as the global pandemic of COVID-19 adds to the rise of one-time use of plastics, including face masks, gloves and food packaging. He urged everyone to join the campaign to tackle the plastic threat in the country.
Mr Yartey applauded the government for the new plastic waste tax introduced in the 2021 budget to tackle the sprawling threat of plastic waste in the country. He cautioned the government, however, to ensure that funds from the levy are used for what is intended.
Status of the Consumer Protection Bill
Mr Adomako revealed that Ghana has yet to pass the Consumer Protection Bill despite calls from Ghanaians. He said that in 2018, his structure and the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) launched an e-petition that saw 50,000 signatories pass the bill.
“The New Patriotic Party, in its 2016 manifesto, promised to pass the bill in its first term if they won power in the 2016 general election. In the absence of a functioning law on consumer protection, it has made Ghana a dumping ground for substandard products and poor service delivery. If Ghanaian businesses cannot produce goods and services that meet world-class standards, Ghana may not be able to take advantage of the Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and export to others. markets where standards are high, ”he said.
Mr. Adomako therefore calls on the government to prioritize the passage of the Consumer Protection Bill this year to protect the rights and welfare of consumers and rid the country of substandard products in the market.
About World Consumer Rights Day
World Consumer Rights Day is an annual occasion commemorated on March 15 to highlight the power of consumers and their rights for a fair, safe and sustainable market for all.
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