Alliance Waste, formerly known as Zoom Alliance, is embarking on a refuse bin distribution exercise to over 30,000 households in Accra to ensure proper waste disposal. Mr Kenneth Asare, Senior Technical and Operations Manager, said the exercise, dubbed; "Special Bin Distribution Project," was as a result of identified gaps in areas the company served.

He said Alliance Waste was undertaking the distribution exercise for a period of three months because about 45 per cent of clients in the Accra Metropolis did not have individual bins.

“We have identified that some of our clients do not own refuse bins so we are giving them the bin at a very subsidized rate of GH¢70.00 so they can all own a bin. But if you cannot afford one, we will still give it to you and service you, however, you will not own it,” Mr Asare said.

He said households who could not pay in full had the option of paying in equal installments for a five-month period, adding “this is to ensure responsible disposal of waste in the city because when you own the bin, you have no business of disposing refuse anyhow.”

Mr Asare said because Alliance Waste had subsidized the price of the bin from GH¢150.00 to GHC¢70.00, it was only limited to their current clients who do not have individual bins in their households.

He said after the three months distribution exercise, they would conduct an impact assessment exercise to evaluate whether the strategy had worked “and if it doesn’t work, we will devise another strategy to ensure that all our clients have one.”

He said Alliance Waste is working in collaboration with the 17 district assemblies within which it operated and the environmental health officers there in all their engagements with clients to ensure effectiveness.

According to him, after the distribution exercise, environmental health officers of the various assemblies would go round to inspect households to ensure that everybody had a bin.

“If you don’t have a bin, you will have to explain to them how you dispose of your refuse. This is because they have the mandate to inspect households and report offenders,” Mr Asare said.

Some of the areas under the project are Achimota, Lapaz, Kasoa, Pokuase, Amasaman, Prampram, Madina and Tema Manhean.