Ghana’s mounting plastic waste crisis is no longer just an environmental problem — it’s fast becoming a public health emergency. That’s the stark warning from Mr. Richard Adjei-Poku, Executive Director of Livelihood and Environment Ghana (LEG), a community-based environmental NGO focused on promoting sustainability and protecting vulnerable communities.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Adjei-Poku disclosed that the country generates an alarming 1.1 billion tonnes of plastic waste annually, yet only nine percent is recycled. The remaining 91 percent either ends up in landfills, water bodies, or is left uncollected in communities.
Even more disturbing is the economic and health toll this waste is taking on the country. According to Mr. Adjei-Poku, Ghana spends nearly $6 billion every year cleaning up plastic pollution — a cost he argues could be redirected toward health care, education, and job creation if the waste was better managed.
“This is not just about litter,” he said. “We are literally choking our cities and poisoning our people.”
Toxic Plastic, Dangerous Health Impacts
Mr. Adjei-Poku emphasized that plastic waste, especially when exposed to heat or degraded by the environment, leaches toxic chemicals such as Bisphenol A (BPA), Dioxins, and flame retardants, which are known to cause severe health conditions.
“These substances are linked to cancer, hormonal disruptions, reproductive issues, immune disorders, and chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity,” he explained. “The silent danger is that most people remain unaware of the health threats they’re exposed to daily through plastic.”
Polluted water bodies, biodiversity loss, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and the contamination of food chains — particularly through microplastics — are some of the far-reaching consequences of unmanaged plastic waste, he added.
A Continental Challenge, A Global Responsibility
Zooming out, Adjei-Poku noted that Africa generates about 17 billion tonnes of plastic waste annually, at a staggering cost of nearly $561 billion. “This is a continental crisis. But its impact is local, felt in our hospitals, in our polluted rivers, and in the air we breathe.”
Mobilizing for Change: Solutions and Partnerships
The LEG Executive Director called for a nationwide awakening and collective effort to reverse the trend. He urged not only government agencies but also religious institutions, corporate organizations, civil society groups, and educational institutions to prioritize public education on plastic pollution and sustainable living.
“We need a shift in mindset — from plastic convenience to ecological responsibility,” he said. “Waste segregation, biodegradable alternatives, and effective enforcement of plastic control policies must become national priorities.”
Mr. Adjei-Poku also reaffirmed LEG’s commitment to greening efforts and highlighted the NGO’s alignment with President John Dramani Mahama’s Tree4Life Reforestation Initiative, which aims to restore the country’s degraded forest reserves and enhance climate resilience.
He stressed that initiatives like Tree4Life are vital not just for restoring ecosystems, but for achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11 and 13, which focus on Sustainable Cities and Communities and Climate Action, respectively.
“Our forests are not just trees,” he said. “They are living lungs that filter our air, protect our waters, and offer livelihoods. If we fail to act, we endanger both planet and people.”
