Dr. Eli Gaveh, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Horticulture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has reassured consumers in Ghana that there is no need to panic about plastic contamination in vegetables, but called for a stop in indiscriminate disposal of plastics and further studies on plastic contamination in vegetables.
He explained that while numerous studies on plastic contamination in farm produce, including vegetables, have been conducted in other countries, Ghana is yet to comprehensively validate the level of toxicity from seepage of chemical compounds in plastics into irrigation water, soil, and the vegetables consumed by the population.
“The concern should come if there’s a prove that there’s plastic contamination in our water bodies, in the soil, and in the food we eat. There’s been a lot of studies on this, but in Ghana we’ve not established whether the plastic in water actually seeped into the water and also the concentration is above toxic level. The level of toxicity of chemical compounds in plastics is what makes them hazardous and that is what will make people become more concerned,” he stated.
Dr. Gaveh’s comments followed a documentary produced by Orange FM titled “Plastic Peril Part Two”, which highlighted the experiences of vegetable farmers facing declining sales.
Some consumers are refusing to buy their vegetables due to concerns about plastic pollution.
Agyei Douglas, a vegetable farmer, expressed that certain individuals and restaurants have stopped returning to their farm areas over worries about plastic waste.
“Many people visit our farm because our vegetables are organic. However, some visitors are disturbed by the plastic litter in our fields, which discourages them from returning and negatively impacts our sales,” he explained.
Despite the concerns raised, Dr. Gaveh noted, there is no cause for alarm if measures are taken to reduce plastic pollution on the environment and its contamination in the food chain.
He further cautioned that any seepage of plastic into irrigation water, could pose potential health risks, including cancer and respiratory conditions among others.
