Government plans to provide industrial crushers to informal waste recyclers as part of efforts to strengthen recycling and create better economic opportunities for young people working at landfill sites.

Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga announced the initiative during an inspection of waste sorting operations, where he observed young workers recovering plastics, metals, glass and other materials from discarded waste.

According to the Minister, the equipment will enable the workers to process the materials more efficiently, improve their packaging and increase their earnings.

“For young people like this who have made recycling a business, we will invest in the crushers for them,” Mr Ayariga said.

He explained that the equipment would be placed under the care of the recyclers, who would determine how best to operate it and meet the associated energy costs.

“If we invest in the crushers and put the crushers here under their care, they can agree among themselves how to use it, how to pay for the energy cost for using it, package their things well, and then resell it,” he added.

Informal waste sorters play an important role in recovering materials that would otherwise end up buried at landfill sites.

The workers sort through discarded waste to retrieve plastics, metallic cans, glass bottles and iron, which are then cleaned, bundled and sold to recycling companies.

One of the waste sorters at the Adipa Waste Management Centre explains to JoyNews that the process allows discarded materials to be returned to the production chain.

“People are using many things that they need, but when they use it and finish, they throw it. So as we pick, we remove it out inside of the dirt, clean it well, and return it to the company to produce something meaningful,” he said.

The government believes supporting such workers with equipment could help expand recycling while reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills.