The ECOWAS Parliament Joint Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Energy and Mines, and Infrastructure has strongly called on member states to ensure the adoption and enforcement of stringent regulations to effectively utilize plastic waste for significant economic realization.
The committee made the call in a draft report, adopted at the close of its delocalized meeting held in Winneba, Ghana.
Emphasizing the need for member states to integrate their plastic waste management regulations and develop policies to raise public awareness about the dangers of plastic waste.
The committee however, charged member states to as a matter of urgency create dedicated funds to support a circular economy for plastic waste treatment.
And recommended, “that ECOWAS Authority instruct governments to implement Regulation C/REG.17/23. This regulation focuses on establishing common standards for plastic products, banning certain single-use plastics, and ensuring manufacturers take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products, from collection to recycling and disposal. The regulation also mandates the labelling of plastic products to provide information on material composition and recyclability.”
The meeting, chaired by Senator Ali Ndume, expresses the urgent need for coordinated action.
The Director of Environment and Climate Change at the ECOWAS Commission, Koffi Bernard, further warned that if immediate measures are not taken Africa could become the largest contributor to poorly managed plastic waste globally by 2050
Other participants, including Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the 3rd Deputy Speaker and host of the meeting, parliamentarians and experts, threw weight on the innovative strategies for plastic waste management particularly the collaborative efforts and practical insights gained from the discussions and site visits to a landfill and plastic treatment plant.
And harped on shifting towards a circular economy to minimize waste and promote sustainable practices, even as Parliamentarians vow to regularly monitor plastic waste policies and advocate for an equitable environment for all.