<<Print>>

Ghana is to begin the production of paper shopping bags from bamboo to reduce the country�s reliance on plastic bags. The minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Ms Sherry Ayittey, said towards that end, the ministry would assist the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) with a plant to produce the paper bags. According to the Minister, the move was to help in the shift from the usage of plastic bags in shopping and trading activities to paper bags. Plastic has been described as being very harmful to the environment as it takes about 250 years to disintegrate when left in soil as compared to paper bag, which is more environmentally friendly. The FORIG identified and exhibited the potential to use bamboo in making paper shopping bags in 1997 but here have been no response to and support for large-scale production. Bamboo has been said to be 100 per cent biodegradable and is naturally antibacterial, which is good for bags used to carry consumable items. According to Ms Ayittey, the ministry had decided to assist FORIG with a plant to enable it to produce the paper bags on a pilot basis, adding that the move would greatly help in the shift to paper bags from the use of plastic bags, which have become a nuisance all over. The minister made this known at Fumesua on Tuesday during a familiarization tour of FORIG as part of a general tour of all the 13 research institutions under the Council for Scientific and industrial Research (CSIR) in the country. She said FORIG�s proposal on the project was to be forwarded to Cabinet for approval as a way of helping to bridge the gap between policy and research. The minister, accompanied by Dr A. Baba Salifu, the Director General of the CSIR, Ms Animah Wilson, the Deputy Ashanti regional Minister, and some officials from the ministry, visited FORIG, the Crops Research Institute (BRRI) and the Soil Research Institution (SRI) The Deputy Director of FORIG, Dr Daniel A Ofori, complained about frustration at the institute, citing the back of funds for research activities and encroachment on FORIG�s land by private developers as an example.