E-waste law: Ghana government to collect eco-levy on additional 300 electric products

E-waste in Ghana

Government through the Ghana Revenue Authority will collect an additional 300 advanced recycling levy (eco-levy) on imported electrical and electronic items to boost the country’s revenue generation.

The additional eco-levy would add to the 360 existing products managed by the E-waste fund to aid in the full implementation of the Hazardous and Electric Waste Control and Management Act (Act 917).

The Act, launched in 2018, is to find sustainable solutions to the environmental challenges confronting the country.

Dr Kwabena Kokofu, the Executive Director, Environmental Protection Agency, said this on Thursday in Accra at the launch of Phase two of the Deployment of Harmonized System (HS) Codes onto the Integrated Customs Management systems (ICUMS).

The Harmonized System code is a global product classification system used to identify products when assessing duties and taxes.

He said the EPA in collaboration with GRA in 2018 started the collection of the eco-levy on all electrical and electronic items and tyres imported into the country and gained international recognition.

He stated that Act 917 allocated five per cent of all collections to support the trade associations towards the management of e-waste in the country and assured the stakeholders of collaboration with the Fund Administrator to ensure that the purpose of the fund was achieved.

Electrical and electronic waste, he said, was rapidly increasing globally, which demanded concerted efforts to put in appropriate measures to address the situation sustainably.

“The establishment of the legal framework for the management of electronic waste had afforded the country the opportunity to correct the wrong of our inaction to the menace of e-waste,” he said.

He said the EPA would soon commence the development of an Extended Producer Responsibility and Take-back Scheme to expand the collection of the eco-levy and ensure greater responsibility by manufacturers.

Dr Joseph Obeng, President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association, welcomed the initiative and commended EPA for the collaboration.

Stakeholder engagement, he stated, was critical in finding solutions to problems and called on members of the Association to support the payment of the eco-levy towards the management of electronic waste, which posed health risks to the citizenry.

Nana Afua Ababio, E-waste Fund Administrator, said they were putting in place modalities to start the disbursement of funds on all items on the HS code, and pledged to engage the trade associations.

That, she said, was necessary because ensuring a safe environment free of e-waste was a collective responsibility.

Source: GNA

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