Odorgonno Senior High School (SHS) has emerged as the winner of the maiden 2026 Senior High School Plastic Waste Reuse Innovation Awards. The competition, which involved five SHSs in Accra, aimed to promote plastic waste recycling and reuse. Odorgonno SHS secured a cash prize of GH¢8,000 after accumulating 97 points. The awards formed part of the CSIR-Institute of Industrial Research (CSIR-IIR) Schools Plastics Recovery Project.
The CSIR-IIR Schools Plastics Recovery Project is an initiative that seeks to promote plastic waste recovery, responsible environmental practices, and the productive use of recovered materials. As part of the project, educational campaigns were conducted in all five participating schools. Additionally, metal cages were provided for plastic source segregation, and an educational excursion to a Miniplast recycling factory was organized. A plastics challenge also encouraged innovative reuse of plastic waste.
The Project Lead and Senior Research Scientist at CSIR-IIR, Dr Boniface Yeboah Antwi, noted that the project demonstrated how young people could become active contributors to solving Ghana’s environmental challenges. He stated that when schools generated income from recovered materials, they could support the maintenance of collection infrastructure and instil an entrepreneurial mindset in students. Within the first month, the participating schools recovered 1.5 tonnes of plastic waste, generating GH¢2,000 in revenue.
Accra Senior High School placed second in the competition with 96 points, receiving a cash prize of GH¢4,000. O’Reilly SHS placed third with 90 points, earning GH¢2,000. Forces Senior High Technical School and St John’s Grammar SHS placed fourth and fifth, respectively, with 83 and 72 points, and each received GH¢1,000. Outstanding students from the participating school clubs were also recognized with gold medals and certificates.
St John’s Grammar SHS received five plastic recovery cages as the school with the highest volume of recovered plastic waste. The Group Head of General Operations at OmniBSIC Bank, Mr Dominic Donkoh, urged the participating schools to sustain their plastic waste segregation, collection, and sales activities. He emphasized that the proceeds could support school environmental clubs and other initiatives while providing students with practical lessons in saving and budgeting.
Mr Donkoh encouraged students to apply financial literacy lessons acquired during the engagement and manage the proceeds from their recycling activities responsibly. He stressed the importance of saving and exploring innovative ways to create both environmental and financial value. The awards ceremony served as a platform to recognize the efforts of the participating schools and encourage sustainable practices.
The 2026 Senior High School Plastic Waste Reuse Innovation Awards highlight the potential for young people to contribute to environmental sustainability and entrepreneurship. The CSIR-IIR Schools Plastics Recovery Project demonstrates a successful model for promoting plastic waste recovery and responsible environmental practices in schools. Key participants and winners of the competition have been recognized for their innovative approaches to plastic waste reuse.
Key points
- Odorgonno SHS won the maiden 2026 Senior High School Plastic Waste Reuse Innovation Awards with 97 points and a cash prize of GH¢8,000.
- The CSIR-IIR Schools Plastics Recovery Project aims to promote plastic waste recovery, responsible environmental practices, and the productive use of recovered materials.
- The participating schools recovered 1.5 tonnes of plastic waste within the first month, generating GH¢2,000 in revenue.
