The Ghana Plastic Manufacturers Association (GPMA) organized a major Beach Clean Up activity in the densely populated coastal dwelling, Chorkor, in the capital, Accra. Ocean pollution solutions take many hands working together. GPMA is pleased to have this work sponsored by d2w from Symphony Environmental PLC, UK, and partnered by EPA Ghana, Environmental Services Providers Association (ESPA). The event brought together more than 80 participants committed to ocean pollution solutions including children from 20 different schools, many of which are part of Ghana’s “Friends of Environment, Lets Save our Ocean Fun Clubs” and Coastal Change Clubs.
The beach clean up location was chosen because of the Attitudinal Change Advocacy Strategy the Ghana Plastic Manufacturers Association (GPMA) is pushing through policymakers to be adopted as a national policy. Some of the coastal communities have a high challenge of bad attitude towards littering which has resulted in the massive waste that have engulfed the coastline. Chorkor, a community within the capital of Ghana, was chosen as the site of the project because of its underdeveloped solid waste infrastructure.
Initially, members of the community demonstrated a high level of apathy, which hindered the project. We adjusted our planning to include outreach from peer-educators who worked to raise awareness for the problem of marine litter and the benefits of a clean environment and plastic waste free oceans. Including this necessary engagement helped drive home the importance of this work and attracted local dwellers to join the clean-up.
In all we collected over 2 tons of water sachet polymers and over a ton of PET bottles and some organic waste.
