Accra: Incubating Circularity at the Intersection of Informal Waste Collectors & Material Reverse Logistics Hubs

Session Description 

As the circular economy begins making headway in Africa, Ghana is quickly positioning itself as a circular economy leader on the continent, bringing to life one of the first Global Plastic Action Partnerships, engaging government bodies like the UN on plastic policy and enticing foreign direct investment to help mitigate its massive waste issue. At the policy/waste nexus, new innovations are arising in Accra that can help turn “waste into resource” while addressing human rights issues for the informal waste collector sector. This session will engage local leaders in the circular economy space on the barriers and opportunities in enabling the circular city transition in Accra.

Session Panelists:

• Patrick Abakle, Director, STMA Waste Management Department
• Alhassan Muniru, Founder & CEO of RecycleUp Ghana
• Joanna Bingham, Founder Footprints Africa 
• Kofi Koomson, PYXERA Global Ghana Circular Project Manager

Moderator: Vivien Luk, WORK/First Mile

Key Participant Learning Outcomes

• Gain perspective on how cities are engaging on circularity with all key actors across the value chain, including informal and formal sectors     
• Get a keen understanding of how organizations are addressing the opportunities in the circular transition and structuring reverse logistics strategies                              
• Capture key insights on how policies that address waste, economic development, and other key areas affect the ability for entrepreneurs to succeed in this arena