Plastic pollution is a significant and complex issue in developing countries like Ghana.
This problem has persisted for years, and the fight against it almost looks like a “war” that seems complicated to end.
Each year, Ghana produces over one million metric tons of plastic waste, yet only about two to five percent is properly collected and recycled.
The multi-million dollar question is: “WHERE DOES THE REMAINING GO TO?”
Sanitation is one of the major challenges facing Ghana.
According to a desk study by the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) of the World Bank, poor sanitation costs the country approximately 420 million Cedis annually, equivalent to about US$290 million.
This figure translates to roughly US$12 per person per year or 1.6% of the national GDP.
The economic burden of poor sanitation disproportionately affects the poorest segments of the population, underscoring the severity of this long-standing issue.
In major cities like Accra and Kumasi, plastic waste has taken over, and managing the vast quantities of waste generated daily is a daunting task.
While the government is attempting to tackle the challenge through public-private partnerships, these efforts often fall short.
In response to the escalating situation, some private individuals have entered the waste transportation sector, relying on old, rickety tricycles known locally as “Aboboyaa.”
Unfortunately, as waste is transported, some spills over, and plastics are blown away by the wind, exacerbating the sanitation crisis.
Successive governments have made little progress in addressing this challenge.
In November 2014, the first Saturday of each month was declared National Sanitation Day following a cholera outbreak that claimed over 150 lives that year.
This initiative was intended to signify the government’s commitment to promoting sanitation across the country.
However, years later, the day has largely faded from public memory, and sanitation issues have been relegated to the background.
In November 2017, then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched another campaign to address the country’s sanitation challenges, urging the public to prioritize environmental cleanliness daily.
However, after his eight-year tenure, the situation remains, if not worsened.
The thousands of tons of plastic waste generated annually, due to inefficient collection and recycling, often end up in drains, rivers, and oceans.
This phenomenon leads to severe consequences for the environment, as well as human and animal health.
In January 2022, then-Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovations (MESTI), Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, stated that plastic waste was one of the major environmental problems facing the country.
He noted that it is not only a nuisance but also a public health hazard that negatively impacts livelihoods.
During heavy downpours in Accra and Kumasi, streets are frequently submerged in floodwaters, with plastics clogging waterways as a major contributor.
Residents, particularly those living along the Aboabo Pelele stream in Kumasi, are battling various diseases, including malaria, typhoid, and cholera.
Local health practitioner Mohammed Ibrahim reported that malaria is the leading illness in the community.
The Pelele River is choked with plastics, obstructing the flow of rainwater.
Another troubling issue is that residents often resort to burning waste materials.
Experts like Dr. Pearl Adu Nyarko from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital warn that this practice can lead to respiratory and lung-related health problems.
Despite these risks, some young people in the community continue to burn waste daily, sometimes reacting aggressively when confronted about it.
The assembly member for the area, Mubarick Adamu reported that some residents have died due to the harmful gases released from burning plastic waste.
Tearfund, a development agency operating in over 50 countries, including Ghana, estimates that between 400,000 and one million people die annually worldwide from illnesses associated with improperly managed waste.
The World Health Organization highlights that over 28,000 premature deaths occur each year in Ghana due to air pollution, with burning waste as a significant contributor.
Surprisingly, these alarming statistics do not seem to resonate with the youth in the community.
In Ghana’s coastal areas, plastic waste poses a serious threat, with parts of the sea becoming overwhelmed by debris.
Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, former Environment Minister revealed that, nine percent of the 0.84 million metric tons of plastic waste generated in Ghana annually leaks into the ocean.
Plastic pollution has dire consequences for aquatic organisms, including fish.
A 2020 study by the World Bank estimated that 250,000 metric tons of plastic waste from Ghana are dumped into the Atlantic Ocean.
Dr. Stanley Hughes-Obresi, a veterinarian with the Fish Health Unit at the Fisheries Commission in the Ashanti Region, warned of the dangers of microplastics in fish, which can lead to infertility and other health issues in humans.
Authorities at both the national and local levels have failed to allocate adequate dumping sites for communities, making it difficult for residents to dispose of waste conveniently.
The few available sites are also often overwhelmed by the large quantities of waste generated each day.
To address this growing problem, there is an urgent need for deliberate policy direction from the government, in partnership with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private companies, regarding the collection, transportation, and recycling of plastic waste in Ghana.
Kofi Ahenkorah Marfo, Ranking Member of Ghana Parliament’s Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources, assured that the committee would advocate for enhancing plastic waste recycling from the current five percent to between 15% and 20%, before the next general election in 2028.
Environmental experts, including Prof. Kyereh Boateng of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, stated the need for intensified public sensitization in communities to discourage the indiscriminate disposal of plastics.
The time for action is now, as the consequences of inaction continue to mount.
