Gov’t must fund CSIR to develop biological plastic alternatives – Zanetor

Her proposal forms part of a broader call for Ghana to combine policy interventions, research and innovation in addressing the country's persistent plastic waste challenge as the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has announced that Ghana will officially ban the production, importation, distribution, sale and use of polystyrene foam products, commonly known as Styrofoam or takeaway packs, from January 1, 2027.

Minister-designate for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has called on the government to channel funding to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to develop locally produced alternatives to plastic.

Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, she said Ghana’s efforts to tackle the growing plastic waste crisis should go beyond bans and restrictions to include investment in research into environmentally friendly substitutes.