By Joyce Gyekye
The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, MESTI in collaboration with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other Partners is piloting two products that are packaged in natural product instead of plastic.
The products; sachet water and takeaway packs are made of seaweed and as a result are biodegradable. The sachet of the water is edible as it’s jelly-like.
The project was launched at the University of Ghana on behalf of the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, MESTI, Dr Kwaku Afriyie.
In a message a Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mrs. Lydia Essuah, for the Minister mentioned the management of single-use plastic as a major problem in Ghana.
Dr. Kwaku Afriyie said the consumption of microplastics due to the utilization of single-use plastics as lining for some foods is injurious to human health, adding that the edible and compostable packaging is one of six pilot projects to phase out single-use plastics, sachet water and bottles as well as containers for food and sauces.
He encouraged students of the University of Ghana to be change agents for the use and adoption of the products as alternatives to single-use plastics. He mentioned the launch of the Ghana National Plastics Action Plan, the formulation of the Plastic Management Policy which has been approved by cabinet as the government’s commitment to tackling the plastic menace facing the country.
A Design Director of NOTPLA, a manufacturer of edible and compostable packaging company in UK, Karlijn Sibbet said the 70-milliliter edible bubble sachet containing water is made of about 20 percent seaweed and other plant products. The remaining 80 percent of the seaweed is used in the production of takeaway packs which are biodegradable.
Ms. Sibbet said the pilot is gathering information to modify the product to suit the Ghanaian market.
Speakers at event including the Director for the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies at the University of Ghana, Prof. Kwasi Appeaning Addo and the Special Assistance to the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Oliver Boachie were optimistic the project will get positive feedback for its production in the country.
Samples for the pilot were brought from the UK.
Views from the University Community are being sampled to aid the company on what Ghanaians expect the products to be.
The shelf life of the edible sachet water in a refrigerator is 24 days.
