A first-ever bus stop shelter made of recycled plastic waste collected from the streets has been commissioned at Dzorwulu Junction in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Municipality of the Greater-Accra Region.
Social enterprising company, Mckingtorch Africa, is behind the plastic waste innovations and installations project which is intended to transform bus stops in the national capital.
It has been using plastic wastes for Christmas decorations in parts of Africa, and the plastic waste bus stop shelter at Dzorwulu Junction opposite the Royal Fiesta Hotel is the company’s new innovation.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mckingtorch Africa, Makafui Awuku said the project is meant to explore the use of plastic waste to develop building materials, pointing out that the bus stop shelter was built from waste of plastic gallons and water bottles collected from the shores of beaches.
“The specific objective relates to designing, fabricating, and installing sustainable public space shelters from recycled materials to promote further research and investigate into plastic waste in Ghana,” he explained and added that the company also wanted to discover how these materials respond to adverse weather.
According to Mr. Awuku, this is to promote private partnership in exploring sustainable ways to keep plastic waste out of the environment in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11.
He said Mckingtorch Africa received funding support from Geodrill Ghana Limited and intellectual support from Academic City University College.
He called on the private sector and individuals to support Mckingtorch Africa to undertake more such projects to deal with plastic waste in the country.
CEO of Geodrill Ghana Limited, Dave Harper praised Mckingtorch for setting the pace to transform the city of Accra with plastic waste innovation.
“I’m delighted to be launching Accra’s first bus shelter made from recycled plastic collected from the streets. It is really an amazing project and it is the first of many to come,” he indicated.
By Ernest Kofi Adu