Total Ban on Plastic Bags Could Solve Ghana’s Plastic Crisis

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): In Ghana, plastic pollution has become a major issue in recent years. However, the issue has not received the serious attention it merits from the nation's administration.

Successful models from African region

A number of African nations have partially or completely banned plastic bags, and the majority of them have reported observable benefits. Rwanda, for example, has become the cleanest nation in the region since banning all plastic bags in 2008. Nairobi and other major areas have seen a significant decrease in plastic trash after Kenya implemented one of the strongest bans in 2017. The Moroccan ban on plastic bags, which went into effect in 2026, has been successful.

What Ghana ought to do?

Ghana must also completely outlaw single-use plastic bags. The nation ought to concentrate on investing in alternatives. To transition toward green jobs, the plastics industry's workforce needs to be retrained. The government must also start a thorough public awareness effort to inform people about the need to get rid of environmentally damaging single-use plastics.

Burgeoning Plastics Problem

Only about 5% of Ghana's annual production of over 1.1 million tonnes of plastic garbage is properly recycled, according to preliminary estimates. The remainder winds up in rivers and streets.

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