Professor Christopher Gordon, Director of the Institute of Environmental and Sanitation Studies, University of Ghana, has alerted the public against consuming tiny particles of plastic called nano plastics, which are harmful to the human body.
He said these nano plastics enter the body through food and water intake and cannot digest but piles up in the stomach.
Speaking at a day’s event in Accra to celebrate this year’s World Environment Day (WED), Prof Gordon, explained that nano plastics, due to it minute nature, cannot be easily seen and could affect humans’ physiology.
The forum was jointly organised by the Australian High Commission, Ghana Wildlife Society and the USAID funded West Africa Biodiversity and Climate Change, and assembled stakeholders in the environment to discuss and find practical ways to, “Beat Plastic Pollution”.
Prof Gordon suggested that as part effort to reduce plastics, retail shops and market women, should stop serving customers with plastic polybags and embark on “Operation Bring Your Bag”, where customers would be required to shop with their bags.
In addition, he recommended the strictly enforcement of the various environmental regulations by punitively punishing people who litter and also name and shame offenders.
Basing his submission on five thematic areas namely; Attitude, Change Behaviour, Creating Value, Replace, Reuse and Awareness, he explained that, there was the need to reduce dependency on plastic usage to save humans and marine lives.
Mr Joseph Kofi Adda, Minister of Sanitation, hinted that government had released GHC200 million to the Ministry to commence work on the various strategies that include education of school pupils and buying sanitation equipment.
Also, the Ministry would soon commence the recruitment of a sanitation brigade, conduct orientation for them and equip them to enforce the sanitation laws.
As part of medium to long term plans, the Minister disclosed that new landfill sites would be opened to accommodate the huge tonnes of waste, adding that, plans were far advance to ensure that all waste would be recycled in the near future.
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