From:Peacefmonline.com

Ghana Bans Light Plastics
Only Biodegradable Ones Would Be Accepted

example of a degradable plastic

A ban has been placed on light plastic materials with less than 20 microns by government. 

The ban takes effect from November 1, 2015 and this was announced by the Minister of Environment, Innovation Science and Technology, Mahama Ayariga. In terms of density, the banned plastic products weigh one millionth of a metre.

To ensure the directive is enforced, the minister revealed that his ministry has engaged the services of 2,000 enforcement officers across the country to ensure the directive is strictly complied with.

He instructed manufactures of such products to dispose all plastic materials with less than 20 microns before the deadline given arrives. Such products include the plain transparent plastics used to package sugar, gari, salt and porridge etc.

“We have placed a ban on up to 20 microns. Nobody can manufacture plastic products of below 20 microns,” he said.

He called on them to produce biodegradable plastic instead ones that can’t decompose by the action of biological agents such as bacteria. 

“Every plastic that is produced for packaging, you have to put a biodegradable material in it so that the plastic that would be produced would be biodegradable.”

Mahama Ayariga insisted, “after 90 days [starting from August 1] no plastic should be in the market unless it is biodegradable.”