Kumasi’s waste crisis has often been linked to the Oti landfill site’s full capacity. Bringing some clarity on this issue, the business development manager for the Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant Limited, Engineer Eugene Amo Asamoah, said the landfill has exceeded its operational lifespan.
Speaking in an interview with Alfa Ali on the Orange Sunrise, the engineer explained that waste generation is directly linked to urbanization and population growth, stressing that waste management remains a critical government responsibility.
According to him, the Oti landfill was originally designed to operate for only fifteen years and has now outlived its intended capacity.
Engineer Amo Asamoah noted that many countries around the world have moved away from the traditional “collect and dump” system of waste management towards a circular economy model where waste is treated as a resource.
He explained that waste materials such as plastics, paper, metals, textiles, and organic matter can be segregated and recycled for productive use.
The engineer further warned that improperly managed organic waste produces harmful liquids known as leachate, which can contaminate soil and water bodies. He added that decomposing waste also releases greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change.
“Because if you do it the linear way, where you do collection and disposal, in Ghana, the organic fractions in the waste composition are about 60 percent. And these organics, if you don’t treat them properly, they leachate. When it gets into the soil, it destroys the soil. When it gets into our water bodies, it destroys them. When the organics are decomposing, they also emit some gases. These greenhouse gases, methane and carbon dioxide, cause these greenhouse gas effects to deplete the ozone layer and cause this climate change that we are all crying about.”
Despite the challenges, he maintained that Kumasi already possesses the solution to its waste management crisis, highlighting that the largest compost and recycling plant in Africa is located in the Ashanti Region.
According to him, several African countries continue to visit Kumasi to study the city’s waste recycling and composting model.
