Ghana generates approximately 1.1 billion pounds of plastic waste every year, according to Richard Adjei-Poku, Executive Director of Livelihood and Environment Ghana (LEG), a community-based environmental NGO.
“However, only nine per cent of the waste is recycled, 41 per cent is collected, and 50 per cent remains uncollected,” Mr Adjei-Poku revealed in an interview in Sunyani, adding that the nation spends close to $6 billion annually in managing plastic waste.
He noted that across Africa, “research shows that the continent generates about 17 billion plastic waste, costing it close to $561 billion.”
Beyond the economic burden, Mr Adjei-Poku warned of the grave environmental and health implications of plastic pollution. He said plastic-contaminated water bodies were contributing to biodiversity loss and rising greenhouse gas emissions, describing the situation as having “huge environmental and health impacts that are so catastrophic.”
He further cautioned that the production of plastics involves toxic chemicals with serious health risks. “Chemicals like Bisphenol A, Dioxin and retardant use in the production of plastics contain high toxicity and can cause cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, damage to the immune system and metabolic disorders like diabetes, obesity and infertility.”
Calling for urgent and unified action, Mr Adjei-Poku urged NGOs, corporate institutions, and faith-based organizations to ramp up public awareness about plastic pollution. He emphasized the need for “concerted and decisive approaches” to control the indiscriminate dumping and use of plastics.
LEG, he said, remains steadfast in its mission to rejuvenate Ghana’s environment and help restore degraded forests and vegetation. He pledged the organization’s support for the government’s Tree4Life Reforestation initiative.
Launched by President John Dramani Mahama, the Tree4Life initiative is a major national push to replenish Ghana’s forests, which serve as vital sources of food, medicine, water, and livelihood for millions.
According to Mr Adjei-Poku, the programe also aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Goal 13 on Climate Action. These global targets aim to ensure urban sustainability and tackle climate change, respectively.
