IAST commissions pilot pyrolysis at Osu Alata Landing Beach

The Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) of the University of Ghana has commissioned a fuel producing facility, known as pyrolysis, to produce fuel for fisherfolk.

The pyrolysis, installed at the Osu Alata Landing Beach in Accra, will use plastics, coconut shell and wood as raw materials to produce premix fuel, natural gas/liquefied petroleum gas, petrol, diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel at cheaper costs to help fishermen access cost-effective fuel for their fishing expeditions, starting with fisherfolk in the Klottey Korle Municipality.

The €250,000 Valorisation of Waste Plastic for Fuel Production system is a community impact initiative launched last Tuesday by IAST, in collaboration with the French Embassy in Ghana and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Korle Klottey, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly and the Osu Alata Traditional Council.

Dubbed “VALOPLASTIQUE”, the initiative was launched in January, this year, with work commencing in March this year as a pilot project to help produce fuel in large volumes while also addressing the challenges of plastic waste inland and in the Atlantic Ocean.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Director of IAST, Professor David Dodoo-Arhin, said the project was “a testament to international collaboration and community engagement, and also marked a significant milestone in our collective efforts to address the pressing issues of plastic waste management”.

He indicated that the idea was to remediate the menace of plastic waste by reprocessing them into high-value fuels and chemicals for households, and especially for automotive use.

Prof. Dodoo-Arhin added that the pilot project also aimed at developing vocational training and entrepreneurship opportunities for unemployed youth in plastic waste recycling as it had trained 23 young people in the Osu Alata Community in the production of fuel using the pyrolysis.

Following a short voyage in an outboard motor-powered canoe to test the viability of the premix fuel produced by the pyrolysis, Prof. Dodoo-Arhin indicated that the fuel produced by the pyrolysis had not fallen short in the quality the fishermen usually used.

He stated that the fuel had been praised by the fishermen on the short trip on the sea, stating that the premix fuel from the pyrolysis produced less smoke and enhanced the efficiency of the outboard motor.

Commendation

The Osu Alata Mantse, Nii Kobla Bonne V, who spoke in Ga, commended the IAST team and their counterpart from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Technology Consultancy Centre - UNESCO Centre of Excellence for project.

“I want to commend the team for this great work done. Over the years, many research findings have been left on the shelves to gather dust; but today we have one that has brought a great project to address our needs.

These are the projects we need in our communities to better our lives, and it is my hope that many of these will be replicated across communities,” he said. 

He said the project was a dream come true for the community, as they had been in need of innovative projects that would meet the needs of the fisherfolks, particularly in relation to fuel accessibility and purchase; adding that the project came at the right time.

Challenges

The National Vice-President of the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council and Chief Fisherman of Osu Alata, Nii Djamlodja VI, lamented the challenges faced by the fisherfolks, particularly with plastic debris in the ocean and on the shores.

He said the project would help address the menace as the fishermen would channel their resources in ensuring that plastic waste caught by their nets and brought ashore was used to produce fuel to power their outboard motors.

Nii Djamlodja VI expressed gratitude to the IAST, the French Embassy and other partners for the project; adding that they would ensure it was used judiciously to serve the interest of the community.