Jospong Group, CHEIL Engineering partner for textile waste management

The Jospong Group of Companies and its subsidiary, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, have partnered with South Korean integrated engineering consultancy company, CHEIL Engineering, to develop all-round recycling activities in the textile waste and renewable energy projects in the country and across Africa. 

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to govern their partnership to create a circular economy around textile waste and renewable energy was signed in Accra.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Environmental and Sanitation Cluster of Jospong Group of Companies, Florence Larbi, signed for the group, while a representative of CHEIL Engineering, Joo Young Park, signed for CHEIL.

Speaking after signing the MoU last Tuesday, Mrs Larbi emphasised the urgent need to address textile waste, citing its significant contribution to environmental degradation and health risks.

She said the partnership marked a significant step towards creating a sustainable future for Ghana and Africa’s textiles, stressing that it also had the potential to drive economic growth, create job opportunities and revolutionise waste management.

“This partnership transcends mere business — it’s about driving meaningful change, understanding our environmental, social and economic challenges, and uniting our strengths to achieve something remarkable,” Mrs Larbi stated.

Jospong Group’s Environmental and Sanitation Cluster COO described as “alarming” the increase in textile waste generated in the country, triggered by increased demand for both used and new imported clothing and other textile products which ended up in landfills, contributing to environmental degradation and health risks.

“At Jospong, we see challenges as opportunities for innovation, collaboration and solution-finding. This mindset has propelled us to become leaders in waste management in Ghana and across Africa,” Mrs Larbi.

“Our partnership with CHEIL is particularly promising, as it combines technical expertise with our deep understanding of local markets and our extensive operational network,” she added. 

Feasibility study

The Team Lead for CHEIL’s Feasibility Research Team, Joo Young Park, stated that the feasibility study had identified physical recycling technology as the best way to process textile and apparel waste.

He explained that the technology could turn waste into valuable products such as panels, which could be used to make furniture and building materials.

The study's findings, Mr Joo Young stated had significant implications for Ghana, adding that the project's success could pave the way for future collaborations and investments, including potential funding from key international and multilateral financial institutions. 

Reusable textile products

The Managing Director of Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant Limited (IRECoP), a subsidiary of the Jospong Group, Betty Brown, stated that her outfit in line with the Jospong Group’s initiatives in revolutionising textile waste management plans to collect and valorise residual materials, turning them into reusable products.

She added that the innovative approach would bridge the gap in Ghana's textile waste management system, which needed to quickly catch up with the influx of second-hand clothes and subsequent waste generation.

Phases

Ms Brown said the initiative's first phase would target processing approximately 200 tonnes of waste materials per day, with plans to expand in the future.

Currently, the Jospong Group is finalising collaborations and MoUs with key stakeholders, both local and international. 

She indicated that one of the major challenges in Ghana's waste collection was source separation. It has been challenging getting people to separate recyclable materials from domestic waste.

To this end, Ms Brown explained that the plan was to introduce buy-back centres to incentivise citizens to participate by placing an economic value on end-of-cycle materials.

“This approach will encourage people to bring in their recyclable materials, earning them money per kilogramme or tonne,” she said.

Ms Brown said the initiative would create a sustainable solution to textile waste in Accra and across Ghana, starting with areas such as Kantamanto, known for its bustling second-hand clothes market.

With the recycling process set to begin soon, the Managing Director of IRECoP gave an assurance that Jospong Group, through its subsidiaries, was poised to make a significant impact on Ghana's environmental landscape.