This weekend, the Safisana waste recycling team celebrated Global Recycling Day together with the market queens at two local food markets in Greater Accra area! The event is a global commemoration day to make people aware and stimulate recycling among people and households.

Recycling is key for the future of our planet and also for us as humans. A recent study shows that greenhouse gases resulting from rotted and otherwise wasted food accounts for around half of all global food system emissions. The article states that "the global food system emits around one-third of total annual greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste causes approximately half of these emissions".  The new study, published in Nature Food, also explores ways in which the emissions from food waste can be reduced, such as composting instead of disposing waste through landfills." This is exactly what Safisana does.

Recycling market waste

At our recycling plant in Ashaiman, Ghana, we treat all kinds of organic waste: rotten fruits rejected batches and residual waste from large local food processing industries. We treat around 20% of the total amount of organic waste produced in the local community. Twice a day, our waste collection team goes to the Ashaiman Food Market to collect around 11 tonnes/per day. 

We also work together with large food processing industries who are located in Ashaiman and Tema.  These industries are increasingly showing interest in becoming a more green and sustainable. Instead of dumping waste into landfill, they prefer to recycle their waste. This way, industries reduce carbon emissions and the overall footprint of their operations. By turning waste into valuable resources, they positively impact social economic and environmental living conditions in the community.

Multiple impacts

Especially in poor and non-sewered urban areas, millions of people are facing challenges caused by climate change, poor health, energy and food scarcity. Circular models based on the reuse of resources tick many of these boxes at once and are the only way to move forward responsibly and sustainably into the future.

As mentioned in the new study, using food waste to produce compost, is an affordable solution to feed the world population without exhausting the planet. Organic waste contains many scarce nutrients that are key for human health. These nutrients can be easily recovered and reused after treatment. The nutrient-rich compost improves soil quality and soil health, which also has a positive effect on crop production for the local farmers. This is why we say Grow Food Not Waste!