Assessment and Implementation of Alternative Packaging Materials to Address C…

ASSESSMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ALTERNATIVE PACKAGING MATERIALS USE AS A BEHAVIORAL MEASURE TO ADDRESSING COASTAL-BASED POLLUTION

Project Background

WACA ResIP 2 Ghana is designed to address the three key challenges to unlocking the potential of its blue economy: coastal erosion, flooding, and pollution; ecosystem degradation; and institutional fragmentation. While the ultimate objective of the project is to strengthen the resilience of coastal communities, the project’s overarching strategy to achieve this objective is to focus on strengthening Ghana's blue economy and to restore and protect critical coastal ecosystems which provide essential services to nearby communities, including income generation and protection against natural disasters. As part of WACA ResIP 2, Ghana is benefiting from an IDA Credit of US$ 150 million and a $5 million Grant from PROBLUE – total of $150 million.

The project comprises four components as with all other countries with WACA investments.

Component 1: Strengthening Regional Integration. The regional integration component is to strengthen the effective coordination of interventions for coastal resilience in West Africa at the regional and national levels spearheaded by WAEMU. This is achieved through the consolidation of the regional institutional set-up and harmonization of policy to seek economies of scale and the development of new strategic partnerships needed for the scale-up of response to the coastal resilience development challenge.

Component 2: Strengthening the Policy or Institutional Frameworks. The project will support the strengthening of institutional and policy frameworks around coastal development, protection, and natural resource management (exclusive of fisheries). Focus areas will include strengthening existing national coordination mechanisms and development of mechanisms for sub-national coordination, including civil society coordination.

Policy actions under this component will support improved land use and marine spatial planning for resilient coastal development. This includes measures for institutional support that will improve collection and analysis of data critical for risk-informed decision-making. This includes, but is not limited to, data related to beach profile and crest elevation, spatial data, and improved local demographic and economic data, especially as related to sources of livelihood and gender disaggregation.

Component 3: Strengthening National Physical and Social Investments. The project will support a wide typology of site-specific grey, green, and hybrid physical investments, and social sub-projects at the community level to achieve measurable increases in protection from coastal erosion and flooding, pollution control, and promote climate-resilient coastal development. Physical investments supported by the project are based on coastal management strategies and climate-resilient development plans, including Multi-Sector Investment Plans (MSIPs), undertaken and ongoing in each country that identifies priority investments and actions for strengthening coastal resilience and mitigating the impacts of climate change through sustainable, integrated coastal zone management.

Component 4: Project Management. A Project Implementation Unit (PIU) has been established with the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology(MEST) and will be guided by a multi-stakeholder project steering committee.

This consultancy aligns with the broader goal of reducing plastic pollution in coastal areas, recognizing the significant contribution of packaging materials to this problem. It focuses on exploring and implementing the use of alternative packaging materials as a behavioural measure to shift consumption patterns and promote environmentally friendly practices. The project aims to identify viable alternatives to conventional plastic packaging, assess their feasibility, and implement a pilot program to promote their adoption, ultimately contributing to a reduction in plastic waste in coastal environments.

This consultancy will involve:

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• Baseline Assessment: A rapid assessment to establish a baseline of current packaging use patterns, consumption behaviors, and supply chain dynamics in the target coastal areas.

• Assessment of Alternative Packaging Materials: A comprehensive assessment of alternative packaging materials, considering their environmental impact, technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and market availability.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Active engagement with key stakeholders, including manufacturers, retailers, consumers, and government agencies, to understand current practices, identify challenges, and foster collaboration in promoting the use of alternative packaging.

• Exploration of opportunities to leverage existing initiatives and partnerships, such as the World Bank social outcome bond plastic pilot in Ghana, to enhance the reach and impact of the pilot program.

• Pilot Implementation: A pilot program designed and implemented to test the feasibility and effectiveness of using selected alternative packaging materials in specific coastal communities. This phase will involve raising awareness, providing incentives, and monitoring the impact on plastic waste reduction.

• Monitoring and Evaluation: A robust monitoring and evaluation framework established to track the progress of the pilot program, assess its impact on plastic waste reduction, and gather valuable insights for future scaling-up efforts.

• Assignment Specification: This ToR outlines the scope of work for a consultancy to assess, implement, and evaluate the use of alternative packaging materials as a behavioural intervention to reduce coastal-based plastic pollution in Ghana. The consultancy will contribute to achieving the project objectives of phasing out single-use plastics (SUP), promoting sustainable alternatives, and reducing the environmental burden of plastic waste in Ghana's coastal areas.

Purpose and Objective

• Purpose: The purpose of this consultancy is to explore and promote the adoption of alternative packaging materials as a practical and effective behavioural measure to combat coastal plastic pollution.

• Objective: The objective of this assignment is to:

• Identify Viable Alternatives: Identify and evaluate a range of alternative packaging materials that are environmentally sustainable, technically feasible, and economically viable. This will involve assessing factors such as biodegradability, recyclability, durability, cost, and market availability.

• Promote Behavioural Change: Design and implement a pilot program to encourage the adoption of these alternative materials by consumers and businesses in coastal communities.

• Reduce Plastic Waste: Contribute to a measurable reduction in plastic waste in the targeted coastal areas through the successful implementation of the pilot program.

• Inform Policy Development: Provide insights and recommendations based on the findings of the pilot program to inform the development and implementation of policies and regulations aimed at reducing plastic packaging waste and promoting sustainable alternatives.

Scope of Work

• Geographic Scope: The assignment will cover selected coastal areas in Greater Accra, known for high levels of plastic pollution.

• Tasks

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

Conduct a baseline assessment: Focusing on existing usage levels of plastics and alternative packaging, consumption patterns and trends, supply chain mapping for packaging materials, key data gaps and challenges in data collection. This should include data on the types and quantities of plastic packaging currently in use, prevalent consumption habits, and the existing distribution channels for packaged goods. This would involve understanding the prevailing trends and existing challenges related to plastic waste generation from packaging.

Conduct a Comprehensive Market Assessment: Conduct a thorough assessment of the alternative packaging materials market, focusing on materials suitable for coastal environments and commonly used products. Consider materials such as compostable materials, paper-based packaging, reusable containers, and innovative packaging solutions. Assess the market potential and evaluate financial viability to evaluate the effectiveness, cost, and practicality of recommended alternatives. The assessment should focus primarily on single-use plastics prevalent in the food and beverage industry or commonly found as carrier bags, sachets, and other frequently discarded items within the target coastal areas, considering materials suitable for coastal environments and commonly used products.

Develop Selection Criteria: Establish clear criteria for evaluating and selecting the most promising alternative packaging materials based on availability, environmental impact, suitability of context and use, technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness, market availability, consumer acceptance, and potential for scaling up.

Engage with Key Stakeholders: Conduct a stakeholder analysis to identify key actors involved in the packaging value chain, including manufacturers, retailers, consumers, waste management entities, and government agencies. Facilitate consultations and workshops to gather input, raise awareness, and foster collaboration.

Design and Implement a Pilot Program: Develop a comprehensive pilot program to test the adoption of selected alternative packaging materials in communities around Korle. This program should include:

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• Target Audience Selection: Identify specific communities or market segments (e.g., small businesses street vendors, households) or product category where the intervention will be most effective and scalable.

• Awareness Raising and Education: Develop and implement awareness campaigns to educate consumers about the environmental benefits of alternative packaging and encourage their adoption. This could include public ser