CONNECT: People, Ideas, Research, Resources 1

Enabling Materials in Transition

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

CONCEPT NOTE FOR A GHANA-WIDE MULTI STAKEHOLDER

“WASTE” RESOURCE PLATFORM

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CONNECTING PEOPLE TO BUILD CAPACITY & ENABLE COLLABORATION FOR RESOURCE

RECOVERY.

Waste has value, even as it is a problem…

As with many urbanizing economies, Ghana's municipalities face significant challenges with solid waste

management. Going forward, there is a need for a new way to think about the issue of waste – not just from

a management point of view but from the perspective of re-use at multiple levels as existing approaches are

nowhere near being able to address the scale of the challenge and waste recovery and use offers various

benefits. This involves thinking about wastes as Materials in Transition, which is the case so long as there

exists an operating connection between the waste generator and the second-life user. Under-utilized and

un-managed waste materials pose serious risk to the environment and human health, with the greatest

negative impact felt by the most vulnerable in society. Alternatively, when connections – pathways and

avenues – are created and known, waste materials can journey from where they are not needed, to where

there is a need, creating economies and livelihoods. Waste materials can be used in replacement for new

materials, preserving our natural resources and slowing climate change. The activity of assisting waste on

its journey to a valuable resource can create millions of good jobs across society, especially for marginalized

citizens.

What’s needed to realize the paradigm shift?

The solution and the knowledge are distributed and lie with different people who currently do not have a

structured way to connect. However, what if local governments, academia, private sector and all relevant

stakeholders could be connected through a shared platform which brings together waste users to waste

producers, promotes the exchange of ideas, new technologies, research findings and resources to those who

are looking for ways to productively re-use and test technologies to use different waste streams (e.g. plastic

in roads and construction materials)? Might this help us move towards a circular economy in the

management of waste?

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THIS INITIATIVE CONTRIBUTES TO:

Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 12, Target

12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and

all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international

frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order

to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment”. Data

on waste and recycling will also help Ghana with SDG reporting.

The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation’s Plastic

Management Policy (2018), which aims to comprehensively manage plastics as a

vehicle for sustainable development. This initiative will directly support all five of

the policy’s guiding pillars: behaviour change, planning and coordination, good

governance and accountability, resource mobilization, and locally appropriate

solutions.

The Ministry of Sanitation & Water Resources’ Medium-Term Expenditure

Framework (2018-2021) and expected Sanitation Strategic Plan (2018-2020). Its

objectives include scale-up of investments and develop innovative financing

mechanisms, enhance capacity of relevant institutions, accelerate provision of

appropriate services, and ensure the development and implementation of effective

behaviour change communication approaches.

The Presidency’s pledge to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa and the National

Sanitation Campaign “Play your Part” (2017), which aims to increase public

awareness, action and coordination to take ownership in solutions implementation

in the sanitation sector. Three new material recovery facilities were announced at

the launching of the campaign. These facilities can benefit from the utilization of

the tools to be developed in this project and can support the creation of hundreds

of jobs for vulnerable community members in the collection and sorting of waste

plastics to supply the recycling facilities.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development’s Environmental

Sanitation Policy (2008) is guided by principles of environmental sanitation as both

a public good and economic good; cost recovery, value-for-money, economy,

effectiveness and efficiency; improved equity and gender sensitivity; recognition

of indigenous knowledge, diversity and religious and cultural practices; and

community participation and social intermediation.

Government of Ghana’s policy on local industrialization (1District, 1Factory)

which includes waste management opportunities, and where such a platform can

provide the data to facilitate decision-making and incentivize investments in the

waste management sector.

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PROPOSED SOLUTIONS:

Within the context of its new country programme which gives priority to waste management, UNDP Ghana

is contributing to seeding the development of a dynamic platform for waste recovery and exchange in 2018-

2019. In this regard, UNDP is looking to partner with other actors interested in co-developing innovative

solutions to help Ghana’s municipalities solve their waste challenge, and help entrepreneurs take advantage

of the waste opportunity, test and share solutions, and scale up efforts.

The proposed initiative has two main components: (1) a multi-stakeholder platform to connect different

stakeholders to facilitate resource recovery and exchange, which will be equipped with a number of

complementary tools, and (2) a business/project pitch competition where five innovative projects will be

awarded seed capital to kick-start a positive-business-case resource recovery businesses and/or project to

take waste recovery forward.

1. Multi-stakeholder platform

The initiative will draw on innovative experiences from other countries to support the development of a

digitally-enabled one stop solution platform suited to Ghana’s needs to connect key stakeholders with data

and technological solutions for resource recovery. This is expected to: facilitate more cost-effective and

transparent access to ready data for evidenced-based planning by policy makers on sanitation management;

enhance access to knowledge on best available technologies on waste valorization; make it easier to

find/link to solution providers and off-takers; stimulate further research and innovation on waste

valorization in relation to emerging demand and options; and build capacity of key personnel (local

government, private sector, NGOs and Academia) to enhance sanitation management particularly at the

decentralized level. The platform will include these complementary tools:

Resource CONNECT Hub (Website)

The objective is to create the opportunity for government bodies, private sector, academic institutions and

all interested parties to access data on waste resources to take policy and economic decisions. It will house

a repository of data, a geospatial waste resource map, a library of recovery technologies and a Resource

Optimization Calculator. This platform will be the hub that connects individuals, waste buyers, collectors

and regulators to share information on waste management in the country and linking local and international

stakeholders.

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Waste Resource Map and Web-based mobile apps

The Waste Resource Map can be thought of as an Uber for recyclables. The map is expected to be used to

strategically plan the deployment of waste management technologies and to increase efficiency and pricing

transparency in materials trading. The technologies for moving waste materials into valuable products (e.g.

affordable housing materials, tissue paper, compost, energy) differ depending on the quantities and types

of waste materials available as feed stock, demand for products made from waste materials, population

densities, waste generation rates, existing manufacturing activities, available resources, and foreseen

demand for products. In addition to providing need data for strategic long-term planning, resource maps

will track volumes and pricing of materials traded, which can be used by entrepreneurs and financial

institutions to validate business models, reducing investment risks. The platform and the map provide the

space for the development of various apps – to report on waste not being collected or to link those in the

informal sector or to purchase waste etc.

Library of Recovery Technologies and Resource Optimization Calculator

The Library of Recovery Technologies is a compilation of technologies and management systems employed

around the world, with emphasis on the ‘Global South,’ to convert waste materials into valuable products.

The Resource Optimization Calculator will be developed as a plug-and-play, interactive wiki allowing users

to make unique queries and priorities (e.g. “lowest-cost system”, or “maximize organics recovery”).

2. National Resource Recovery Competition

Through the activities of the project, stakeholders shall be supported to use the data and resources generated

by the project to develop sustainable projects and business models that:

1. provides a sustainable solution to an existing waste management challenge and,

2. has the potential to create employment.

Five projects/business models will each be supported with seed capital and technical support to enhance

their development and operation. One winner will be selected from each of the five categories

(Metropolitan Assembly; District Assembly; Student-led initiative; NGO-led initiative; Private sector

business model)

Workplan Step 1 (June - July 2018) Stakeholder engagement and inception workshop

Step 2 (July – December 2018) Development of the Concept platform and associated tools

Step 3 (January – March 2019) Launching of Concept/Prototype

Step 4 (January – March 2019) Resource Recovery Competition

Step 5 (April – December 2019) Piloting Winning Projects

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SUMMARY OF TARGETS:

• Create a platform for collaboration among key stakeholders

• Develop waste resource map for Ghana

• Build local capacity for improved sanitation

• Create market for innovative solutions for waste resource utilization in Ghana

• Create awareness on segregation at generation points

• Promote academic research for improved and efficient waste management

KEY STAKEHOLDERS:

Major stakeholders identified include Government (Ministry of Sanitation, Ministry of Environment

Ministry of Employment, Ministry of Local Government), Private Sector (waste processing companies,

waste management companies, waste technology manufacturers, startup companies), Development

Partners, Development Banks and Investors, NGOs and Academic institutions. In the implementation of

the project, identified stakeholders shall be consulted to identify already existing efficient knowledge

systems and technologies that could be scaled up through capacity building and further research. This will

ensure that locally-generated knowledge that are suitable for the local environment and have the potential

to create opportunities are used to increase national ownership.

Resource map (data)

Build capacity

Resource recoveryCollaboration among

stakeholders

Create awareness

Research

Government agencies Private Sector

Development/South-south partners

Academia

Communities