Jennifer Ambolley
In Ghana, about 12,710 tons of solid waste is generated daily, with only 10% collected and disposed of at designated dumping sites. A major challenge in the management of solid waste in Ghana is the collection and disposal process, which are labor-intensive and often not effective.
In urban cities in Ghana, issues relating to proper solid waste disposal is a major challenge for the local government authorities. The lack of well-planned and efficient strategies to manage waste is one reason for the poor state of waste management, particularly by municipal authorities in Ghana.
However, a local initiative by Borla GH (ICS) Waste Management Company is reshaping the narrative of how to handle waste with a mission to contribute to a cleaner and healthier environment.
At the heart of Borla GH’s mission is a dedication to providing comprehensive and sustainable waste management solutions. The company envisions being a leader in the waste management sector in Ghana, offering not just conventional services but innovative and eco-friendly solutions that address the evolving challenges of waste disposal.
Borla GH introduces a revolutionary tool, the Borla app, a mobile platform designed not just for waste collection but to redefine the entire waste management process. Dubbed a “Moving” or “Moveable” platform, the app signifies a departure from traditional waste disposal methods, presenting a solution that adapts to the dynamic needs of our environment, communities, and homes.
With real-time API trackers, the Borla app optimizes waste collection routes, ensuring a swift and efficient process. The fast-collecting team ensures that waste is handled promptly, addressing the challenges associated with delayed pickups.
More than just a collection tool, the Borla app serves as an educational platform. It empowers customers across regions and communities, imparting crucial knowledge on the importance of responsible waste management, with a specific focus on the recycling of plastics.
Recognizing the environmental impact of plastics, Borla GH encourages users to actively participate in plastic separation. This initiative aims to educate the public on the significance of segregating plastics from other waste materials, paving the way for more effective recycling.
In an exclusive interview the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Josep Dickson shares insights into the company’s mission, the inspiration behind the Borla app, and the broader vision for waste management in Ghana.
“My inspiration came from my own experience in terms waste collection from. In my house I personally have to carry my waste every two days so I had been thinking of how to curb this problem. So one day I met a friend on LinkedIn who was into waste management services so I told him that why we work together to find ways to work together to address proper waste management and it led to introduction of the Borla App.”
Despite his passion, he admitted that the COVID-19 took a great toil on this initiative which he lost all his workers as a result and had to start all over again.
The App he said, has a customer service team which address issues that comes to them and also makes sure that all communities and regions are trained on how to operate it.
Despite the Borla App, he said that his outfit engages in community engagement where they collaborate with local communities for waste education and clean-up excises. So far the initiative as reached over 200 people in rural communities on how to maintain proper waste.
Also, the introduction of active social media campaign has yielded results where his outfit share various ways individuals can promote proper waste management by organizing live interactions with the social media users and sharing captions on the need to engage in proper waste management.
The CEO of Borla Gh has called for support from institutions and industry players to support his outfit to live up to its mandate.
A social media user Lattif Giwah also shared her review on their social media campaign on how she learnt how to recycle her waste. “Since I started following their social media campaign I have learnt how to recycle my waste, the need to reduce waste and the proper disposal of waste”, she revealed.
Madam Akos, a trader in the Kasoa community which is one of the areas they visited for campaign proper waste management shared that the education she received has improve how to dispose off waste. According to her, she use to join her neighbors in pouring rubbish into the gutter but since she received education she now dispose off her waste in an appropriate way.
“Anytime it rains I call my neighbors and we pour all our rubbish in the gutters. I thought it was the right thing to do because it carries the rubbish away, it doesn’t stay at one place. I use to do this because the rubbish gets full and starts to smell because the rubbish collectors delay in coming”, she explained.
However, one other woman named Constance Mensah who owns a provision shop in that same Kasoa community shared that the new approach she was also educated on how to handle trash by the waste management company has been very helpful because she use to travel a long distance just to dispose off her rubbish.
She acknowledged the fact that she has seen several persons down with Cholera because of their poor disposal of water in the community and assured that she will spread the good news to make sure the community begins to practice proper disposal of their waste.
It is for this reason that she has called on all and sundry to avail themselves to learn from the waste management to improve how they dispose off their waste to join in the fight against illegal disposal of waste.
In a recent interview with an environmental and Climate Change expert, Mr. Emmanuel Ameyaw, he lauded Borla Ghana for their commendable initiative in addressing waste management issues.
He further told this reporter that after thoroughly exploring their innovative mobile application and learning about their impactful work, he is convinced that they are on a promising trajectory.
Mr. Ameyaw bemoaned that as urban populations, particularly in cities like Accra, continue to grow, the generation of waste is inevitable. He believes that it is crucial for us to explore creative and sustainable solutions to effectively tackle these waste challenges.
However, the expert said that fostering a partnership between Borla Ghana and the government is imperative in order to collectively address and combat the pressing issue of waste management in our country.
“In recent times, the global conversation surrounding Climate Change has increasingly focused on the critical importance of effective waste management, as poorly managed waste can have a significant impact on exacerbating Climate Change. This issue is particularly pressing in Ghana, where the management of waste plays a crucial role in the country’s Climate ambition to reduce emissions”, he explained.
The expert who also the of Founder of the e Climate Insight, over 300 tons of waste are generated on a daily basis, highlighting the urgent need for innovative solutions to address this mounting challenge. One promising approach is through recycling, which offers a sustainable way to repurpose materials such as plastic waste, thereby reducing the strain on the environment and contributing to efforts to combat Climate Change.
Encouragingly, Mr. Ameyaw continued to explain that there is a growing emphasis on reducing our carbon footprints, underscoring the necessity for motivating and empowering the youth to spearhead innovative initiatives in waste management. By fostering a culture of creativity and sustainability among young people, Ghana can unlock new solutions and approaches to tackle the waste crisis more effectively.
It is essential to recognize that addressing waste management requires a collective effort, with all stakeholders playing a crucial role in driving positive change, according to Mr. Ameyaw.
Moreover, “collaboration with the media can be a powerful tool in amplifying the voices and initiatives of the waste management sector in Ghana. By engaging with the media to raise awareness and advocate for sustainable practices, we can foster a culture of environmental responsibility and inspire broader action towards a cleaner, greener future for Ghana and the planet as a whole”, he concluded.
