Members of Parliament (MP) have unanimously called for outright ban on plastics in the country.
The lawmakers contend that the menace of plastics has become a national problem, stressing that it was about time the legislature stood its grounds and ban the use of the product.
The use of plastics, according to the lawmakers, are threatenings lives and destroying the environment.
NPP MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon and Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Kyerematen Agyarko, delivering a statement on the floor of the House, Tuesday, said due to the threatening nature of plastics, it was time the country “take drastic measures”.
Statistics released by the United Nations (UN) indicate that each year, the world uses over 500 billion plastic bags with at least 8 billion tons of plastics ending up in the ocean each year.
The UN further estimates that in Ghana 1.7million tons of plastics are generated annually but only 2% are recycled.
“The consequences of these affect the health and safety of human beings”, noted Mr. Kyerematen.
He said there is the need to find innovative ways to deal with the problem, calling on the country to intensify its public education.
Mr. Kyerematen called on the country to insist that manufacturers produce biodegradable plastics if it fails to ban the use of the product.
On his part, the NDC MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, said the use of plastics is threatening the survival of animals and devastating the lives of human beings.
He urged the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation to insist on the use of ozone biodegradable additives in the production of plastics if the country is unable to enforce behavioral change.
“Countries that have successfully ban plastics have pushes people to have alternatives”, Ayariga narrated.
Contributing to the statement, the MP for Wa West, Yieleh Chireh, wondered why Parliament has till date, despite the consequences of the use of plastics, not ban the product in the country.
He urged the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and the Ministry of Water and Sanitation to bring a legislation to Parliament to ban the use of plastics in the country.
“We need an environment free of plastics”, he stressed.
