The Department of Environmental Science, University of Cape Coast (UCC), in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited and BG Baidoo Global Ltd, has marked World Environment Day 2025 with a renewed call to reduce plastic pollution in Ghana.
The commemoration, held under the theme: “Ending Plastic Pollution” showcased a blend of innovation, advocacy, and academic commitment to tackling Ghana’s growing plastic waste crisis.
Delivering the opening remarks, the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Denis Worlanyo Aheto, emphasized the University’s readiness to play a leading role in promoting sustainable environmental practices.
He indicated that UCC had integrated sustainability into its academic and operational priorities and pledged the institution’s support for partnerships that promote environmental stewardship.
The Head of Department of Environmental Science, Prof. Michael Miyittah emphasized the urgency of addressing plastic pollution. He called on participants to reflect, engage, and take concrete steps—from refusing single-use plastics to pioneering sustainable solutions. “This is not just a seminar,” he remarked, “but a springboard for lasting change.”
A Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Small Enterprise Development (CESED), Dr. Edward Nii Amar Amarteifio, who delivered a presentation on “Turning Environmental Science into Green Gold.” underscored how environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss—can be transformed into viable green business opportunities.
Dr. Amarteifio encouraged students and young entrepreneurs to leverage their environmental knowledge to launch ventures that not only address ecological problems but also create economic value.
In a remark, the Central Regional Manager of Zoomlion Ghana, Mr. Adams Nahim, reaffirmed the company’s dedication to combating plastic waste through education, infrastructure, and community engagement.
Mr. Nahim noted that Ghana generated over 1.1 million tons of plastic waste annually, yet the country could only recycle less than 5%. He said the company’s Zoomkids Club Programme had educated over 50,000 students between 2022 and 2024, helping to reduce plastic waste in schools by up to 40%.
Mr. Nahim also highlighted the infrastructure investments such as the Accra Compost and Recycling Plant and the establishment of 16 Integrated Recycling and Compost Plants (IRECOPs) across all regions, including one at Mankessim in the Central Region. These facilities are creating jobs, repurposing plastic waste, and providing compost for farming communities.
As part of the commemoration, the Department of Environmental Science launched a solid waste segregation initiative in partnership with the Zoomlion Foundation. The initiative, which started at the School of Biological Sciences, categorises waste into paper, plastics, organics, and others. It will be expanded to cover the entire University and replicated in senior high and basic schools across Cape Coast and the Central Region.
A Senior Lecturer and Lead Coordinator of the Segregation Project, Dr. Isaac Mbir Bryant, urged participants to view waste as a resource rather than refuse. “This initiative will not only promote recycling but also instill in our youth a culture of sustainability,” he noted.
The celebration concluded with a live virtual exhibition from Italy by BG Baidoo Global Ltd and Eurven Srl, showcasing state-of-the-art plastic recycling technology capable of processing 2,000kg of waste daily.
The event brought together faculty, students, and industry leaders for a day of thought-provoking dialogue, sustainable innovation, and collective environmental responsibility.