OmniBSIC Bank, CSIR-IIR and Ocean Tribe Foundation turn school plastic waste into industrial gold

It is break time at St. John's Grammar School, and the familiar sight of discarded sachet water wrappers and plastic bottles littering the compound tells a story that has become all too common across Ghana's educational institutions. But for the five senior high schools now part of a groundbreaking initiative, that narrative is about to change dramatically.

OmniBSIC Bank, in partnership with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research's Institute of Industrial Research (CSIR-IIR) and the Ocean Tribe Foundation, has launched a school-based plastic recovery project that seeks to transform the plastic waste crisis into an opportunity for industrial innovation and environmental education.

The initiative, themed 'Recovering Plastics for Industry and Sustainable Environment', was officially unveiled at the Bank's Head Office in Accra, with five schools selected for the pilot phase: St. John's Grammar School, Odorgonno Senior High School, Accra High School, O'Reilly Senior High School and Armed Forces Senior High School.

The scale of the challenge is staggering. These five institutions collectively generate an estimated 44,000 pieces of plastic waste daily, a volume equivalent to the full seating capacity of the Accra Sports Stadium . Plastic materials, largely sachet water wrappers and plastic bottles, account for approximately 60 percent of waste generated on the campuses.

Nationally, the picture is even more concerning. Ghana generates an estimated 0.8 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with approximately 30 percent of waste produced in the Greater Accra Region remaining uncollected, often ending up in drainage systems and coastal waters.

Speaking at the launch, George Tetteh Ocansey, Divisional Head and Executive Committee Member of OmniBSIC Bank, said the project reflects the Bank's commitment to sustainable finance and collaborative development. "This partnership aligns with Ghana's Sustainable Banking Principle 6 and supports Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 17. It reinforces the bank's commitment to sustainable financing by investing in education, fostering innovation in plastic waste management, and building strategic partnerships that address pressing environmental challenges," he explained.

Implementation will begin this month with the installation of dedicated plastic recovery cages in all five schools, supported by training sessions and awareness campaigns for students and teachers on waste segregation, cleaning, storage, and recovery practices. Over a three-month collection period, students will recover and deposit plastic materials into designated collection points.

Dr. Richard Bayitse, Deputy Director of CSIR-IIR, described the initiative as an important bridge between scientific research and practical implementation. "It is not waste. It is a misplaced industrial resource. CSIR has spent decades researching how to efficiently recover plastics and transform them into floor tiles, roofing tiles and composite materials for our local industry. But our laboratories cannot solve the collection problem alone. That is where this project begins, with schools, with students, and with a bank that believes in industrial ecology," he said.

The recovered plastics will be purchased by buy-back companies and processed into semi-finished materials for supply to local manufacturers, creating a practical link between environmental action and industrial production . A Plastic Innovation Challenge, scheduled for October 2026, will encourage students to showcase innovative products created from recovered plastics. Winners will be recognised alongside the highest-performing schools, Green Technology Clubs, and individual students at an awards ceremony planned for November 2026.

The programme will also incorporate financial literacy education, with students receiving practical guidance on savings and personal finance through OmniBSIC Bank's youth banking initiatives, including its Junior Savings Account.

As part of the event, OmniBSIC Bank and CSIR-IIR jointly unveiled "Plastics, the Waste and the Management for Teens", an educational booklet developed to provide students with practical knowledge on plastic waste management, recycling practices, and environmental responsibility.

For Madam Saviour Agyei, Programmes Manager of Ocean Tribe Foundation, education remains central to long-term environmental change. "Lasting change begins with education, empowering our students to become champions of environmental stewardship who will inspire generations to come. When a child understands the value of a clean ocean, they become its lifelong defender," she noted.

The initiative supports Ghana's Sustainable Banking Principles, national environmental sustainability objectives, and the country's broader circular economy ambitions, while contributing directly to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.