Result of a market survey on waste management and circular economy in Ghana carried out by Bert Keesman of MetaSus and other experts 6-10 May 2019

1. Opportunities in waste and
circular economy in Ghana
Bert Keesman, MetaSus
RVO The Hague, 27 June 2019

2. Presentation
• History and context
• Introduction Ghana
• Situation waste and
circular economy in
Ghana
• SWOT analysis
• Opportunities for
business and cooperation

3. History and
context
• Incoming mission of the
top of the Ghanaian
waste sector to the
Netherlands, 23-27
October 2017
• Seminar of the European
Union: “Circular Economy
Opportunities in Ghana”
7-8 May 2019

4. Holland meets Ghana @ Recycling Fair” Oct 26, 2017

5. Market survey waste and circular
economy 6-10 May 2019
Freek van Eijk
Holland
Circular
Hotspot
Hans van Ek
Netherlands
Enterprise
Agency (RVO)
Reinhardt Smit
Closing
The Loop
Bert Keesman
MetaSus
Ron Strikker
Dutch
Ambassador in
Ghana
Janet Arthur
Policy Officer
Water and
Sanitation

6. Ghana
• In Western Africa
• 5.7 times the size of the
Netherlands
• 30 million inhabitants
• Neighbouring countries
Ivory Coast, Burkina
Fasso, Togo
• Common language
English
• Stable democracy
• Independence from UK in
1957
• Accra – Tema corridor in
the south

7. Waste situation in Ghana
• Estimation: 0,75 kg waste per person per day (pppd)
• 30 million inhabitants so 22,500 tons per day of waste
for Ghana as a whole
• Accra-Tema urban corridor: 1 kg pppd
• 2,7 million inhabitants so 2,700 tons per day
• But: some say the population of the Accra – Tema
corridor is more like 5 million

8. Municipal waste - Composition

9. Agbogbloshie e-waste dump
Photo: Freek van Eijk, HCH

10. Beach at Fort Christiansborg, Accra

12. Waste / CE in Ghana: Strengths
 Stable country, stable and free democracy
 Relatively young and educated population (English speaking)
 Stable growth figures (av. +6.9% in period ‘08-’17)
 Tax system for plastic imports in place, similar system for e-
waste on the way
 Strong professional player in the waste industry
(Zoomlion/Jospong Group)
 Private sector initiatives such as the Plastics Recyclers
Association and GRIPE
 Large and varied residual biomass resources available
 Some very talented young people active in the waste and circular
economy sector (including foreigners)

13. Zoomlion/
Jospong Group
 Since 2006
 Part of the Jospong Group
 Waste collection,
transport, processing in all
254 MMDA’s
 Also active in Angola,
Liberia, Togo and
Equatorial Guinea
 Interest in e-waste and tire
recycling equipment,
waste collection vehicles
and more MRF’s

14. Types of (residual) biomass

15. Circular economy: What is happening? - 1

16. Circular economy: What is happening? - 2

17. Waste / CE in Ghana: Weaknesses
 Legislation in place but lack of enforcement of rules
 Somewhat passive attitude due to “Donor disease”
 Complicated investment climate, waste/CE sector underfinanced
 Corruption
 Information is not readily available or shared
 Lack of environmental awareness among the population and
therefore poor cultural attitudes to waste handling
 Land ownership is not transparent
 It is a challenge to find qualified local partners

18. Legislative framework
 (1993) Local Government Act (462)
 (1994) EPA Act (490)
 (1996) Customs and Excise Act (512)
 (2002) Ghana Landfill Guidelines
 (2010) National Environmental Sanitation Policy (ESP)
 (2010) National Environmental Sanitation Strategy and Action
Plan (NESSAP)
 (2011) Renewable Energy Act (832)
 (2013) Ghana National Climate Change Policy
 (2015) Oxo-biodegradable directive for plastics by MESTI
 (2016) Hazardous and E-waste Control and Management (917)

19. Major intl cooperation initiatives
Country /
Organization
Initiative
European Union Awareness and capacity building in e-waste
Germany (GIZ) Strengthening large scale e-waste recycling
infrastructure
UK Accra Plastics Management Project
World Economic
Forum
Ghana chapter of its Global Plastic Action
Partnership GPAP
UNDP Multi-Stakeholder Waste Resource Platform
World Bank Solid waste management in the Odaw River Basin

20. Waste / CE in Ghana : Opportunities
 Ambitions of the Government: 1/ by 2024 Accra should be
Africa’s cleanest city; 2/ EPR systems planned for plastics and
electronics
 Ghana is in the process of transition: “From aid to trade”
 Concrete opportunities in Waste to Energy, PET Recycling, tires
recycling, e-waste recycling, manure processing
 Doing business with Zoomlion / Jospong Group
 Relatively high value of electricity (FIT US$ 17,5 to 18,5 cts)
 Enthusiasm on the part of the Dutch Embassy for waste/CE
 Combine exports promotion efforts, e.g. with Nigeria
 UNDP recycling(/CE) collaborative platform with access to data
can be a sound basis for HCH circular economy hub

21. Opps: Private sector priorities
Business / other interest
(based on 14 prominent companies)
# of times
mentioned
Business interest
Plastic waste recycling technology XXXXX
Waste collection / street sweeping vehicles XXXXX
Composting equipment and techniques for
agriculture
XXX
e-waste recycling equipment XXX
Other interests
Investors (and funding) XXXXXXX
Potential business partners XXXX
Buyers for recycled materials (plastics, paper,
aluminum, etc)
XXX

22. Waste / CE in Ghana : Threats
 Foreign competition (e.g. from Germany in e-waste)
 Lots of bi/multilateral cooperation agencies working on e-waste
and plastics

23. Recommendations
 Individual companies: follow up on opportunities in e-waste,
plastics, WtE, organic waste processing including anaerobic
digestion
 Business mission on waste and circular economy to Ghana later
this year (“WACEE 19” Trade Fair and Conference, 6-8 Nov)
 After that: Partners for International Business or Impact Cluster?
 Waste: strengthen the backbone of the waste management
system (legislation (EPR?), infrastructure, source separation, fee
system)
 Circular economy: initiate or hook up to CE incubator
 Further research on opportunities in residual biomass

24. Stay connected
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12074594/

25. Meda w’ase
(any
questions?)