Plastic Waste Crisis Drains Ghana $6 Billion Annually, Environment Minister Reveals at Sustainability Summit

Ghana‘s mounting plastic pollution crisis is costing the nation more than $6 billion annually, equivalent to 11% of GDP, and threatens long-term economic and environmental sustainability, according to the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.

Speaking at the Environmental Sustainability Summit in Accra, Dr. Muhammed painted a stark picture of the economic and ecological toll of unchecked plastic waste. Ghana’s plastic waste generation has surged from 40,000 tonnes to over 1.1 million tonnes per year, with only 9% currently recycled and nearly half left uncollected.

The result, the minister noted, is blocked drainage systems, escalating urban flooding, and increasing contamination of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters.

“We are fast approaching a point where the marine ecosystem could become more plastic than fish,” he said.

The minister underscored the multi-dimensional impact of plastic pollution, calling it both a public health emergency and a macroeconomic burden. Beyond the direct costs of managing waste and repairing damage, Ghana faces reduced fishery yields, degraded tourism assets, and higher healthcare costs due to microplastics in food and water systems.

“Public health risks and the economic costs are huge, over $6 billion each year,” Dr. Muhammed noted.

Policy Shift: Producer Responsibility and Local Alternatives

In response, MESTI is drafting mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation, which will require plastic manufacturers and importers to financially contribute to the recovery and recycling of their products. This policy aims to create a circular plastics economy by shifting the burden of waste management from the state to producers.

The ministry is also working with researchers and industry players to promote locally produced, biodegradable alternatives, positioning sustainability as a catalyst for innovation and green industrialization.

Environmental economists at the summit backed the minister’s call, urging immediate regulatory and fiscal reforms to correct the current market failure. Without systemic intervention, experts warn that Ghana’s urban and coastal infrastructure will remain under siege, jeopardizing investments in housing, tourism, and public health.

As Ghana sets its sights on becoming a regional leader in climate resilience and green growth, tackling the plastic crisis is becoming not just an environmental imperative, but a strategic economic priority.

Read More