Chris Infotainment

The Potential of Waste Plastics as a Renewable Energy Source Professor James R. Dankwah, a Professor of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa, Western Region, has highlighted an innovative approach to addressing Ghana's energy challenges by utilizing waste plastics as a source of fuel. His insights were shared during an inaugural lecture at UMaT, where he discussed the topic: 'Waste Plastics, a Modern Day Resource Paradox: Leveraging its Positive Attributes for an Environmentally Sustainable Metals Production.' According to Prof. Dankwah, converting waste plastics into fuels such as diesel and petrol could significantly reduce energy costs for the country. He emphasized that while waste plastics have both advantages and disadvantages, the key lies in effective management. "We can set up an oil-making industry in Ghana based solely on plastics and other raw materials available locally," he said, challen...

Southeast Asia and East Asian Nations Face Growing Plastic Pollution Crisis Plastic waste leakage into the environment in Southeast Asian countries, along with China, Japan, and South Korea, is projected to rise by nearly 70 percent by 2050 if no effective measures are taken to address the issue. This alarming trend was highlighted in a recent report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which identified the region as a "hotspot for plastic pollution." In 2022, an estimated 8.4 million tons of plastic waste leaked into the environment in this region. The OECD's Regional Plastics Outlook report emphasized that informal and unsafe practices such as open burning and dumping continue to be prevalent, particularly in rural areas across ASEAN countries and China. These practices contribute significantly to environmental degradation and public health risks. Plastic waste has become a major global environmental concern, contaminating rivers, ocea...

A Global Challenge: The Plastics Crisis Throughout history, each generation has faced its own environmental challenges. Older generations dealt with lead in fuel and paint, while earlier ones encountered asbestos in construction materials. Before that, coal dust and industrial toxins affected entire communities. Now, our era is marked by a new, pervasive threat—plastic. Its widespread use has transformed the planet into a dumping ground, with plastic clogging rivers, seas, and landscapes. This material does not degrade easily and has broken down into microplastics that now enter our food chain and even our bodies. Plastic is not biodegradable, and its mass production, driven by corporate interests and unchecked capitalism, continues to harm ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. For many years, it seemed as though there was little hope of reversing this trend. However, recent developments have sparked renewed optimism. The United Nations is currently negotiating a global plastics tr...