The Brew-Hammond Energy Centre (TBHEC) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, in partnership with the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), has launched the KNUST Organic Waste Diversion Project to promote sustainability and strengthen environmental stewardship within the university community.

The initiative seeks to address methane emissions from municipal solid waste in Ghana while advancing climate action and circular economy practices on campus.

Professor Francis Kemausuor, Project Investigator of the Organic Waste Diversion Project, explained that the initiative stemmed from CATF’s interest in methane emissions from municipal solid waste in Ghana. He noted that a key objective of the project is to measure methane emissions from landfill sites.

“One of the key objectives was to determine methane gas emissions from the landfills,” he said.

Although the project was initially designed to pilot across the Kumasi metropolis, operational challenges resulted in a scaled-down implementation within the university community, focusing on eight restaurants.

Despite the adjustment, Prof. Kemausuor the project has recorded significant progress. Organic waste collected from participating outlets is transported to Safisana Ghana Ltd, the project’s technical partner, with a high acceptance rate.

“So far, we have managed to send about 20 tons of waste to Safisana. There’s close to 99% overall acceptance rate and only about 1.2% has been rejected because it’s not organic,” Professor Kemausuor noted.

Applying the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Waste Reduction Model, the team estimates that the initiative has prevented approximately 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. The project contributes to KNUST’s climate action efforts while promoting a circular economy framework.

“We are transforming our waste into value-added products to foster a circular economy on our campus,” he stated.

A representative of the Clean Air Task Force, Mr. Chris Godlove, reaffirmed CATF’s commitment to supporting innovative waste management initiatives and highlighted the organisation’s global focus on reducing emissions from the waste sector. He expressed hope that the KNUST initiative would serve as a replicable model for other institutions and communities.

“By supporting this type of activity, we hope to create models that can be replicated in other places,” he stated.

While describing CATF’s role as primarily supportive, he emphasized that the success of the project has been driven by the University community, extending beyond climate benefits to broader environmental and social impacts.

“We’ve provided some capital funding to provide equipment, but you all have done this work, so I commend you for getting that started, for keeping this momentum going,” he said.

He congratulated the team for their efforts and expressed optimism about the future of the project.

“Congratulations and looking forward to following this success for many years to come,” he added.

The launch brought together key stakeholders and partners from across the University and the environmental sector, underscoring a shared commitment to sustainable waste management and climate action.