By Albert Oppong-Ansah
Accra, June 11, GNA – Waste management in Ghana remains far below international standards due to rapid urbanisation, increasing plastic and textile waste, and the absence of source separation, experts have said.
Mr. Solomon Noi-Adzeman Nuetey, Director of Waste Management at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), said that Ghana’s waste management practices were inadequate and failed to meet global benchmarks.
“Currently, our waste management practice is not the best. We are far behind several countries in sustainably dealing with the looming waste crisis using best practices,” he told the Ghana News Agency in an interview.
Mr. Nuetey said the decomposition of organic waste produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas contributing to climate change.
He added that Ghana had pledged to adopt circular waste practices to extend the life cycle of materials.
Mr. Nuetey explained that effective models already exist, pointing to the AMA’s pilot facility for processing organic waste as a step in the right direction.
“We need to invest in anaerobic digestion plants that can process organic waste, like food leftovers from restaurants, into gas, which can then be channelled back into kitchens for cooking,” he said.
He stressed the importance of waste separation at source.
“For plastics, paper, textiles, and other materials, once they are separated at source, they can be treated effectively, including through incineration,” he noted.
Mr. Nuetey said the prevailing practice of mixing all waste types in one bin hampered processing and left landfill disposal as the only viable option.
He observed that landfills in Ghana were filling up rapidly, posing significant environmental threats.
Citing the Kpong Engineered Landfill, Mr. Nuetey said the site, constructed under a World Bank-funded project—was built to last 25 years but reached full capacity within just three years due to excessive waste inflow from several districts.
“The site was built to receive 500 metric tonnes of waste per day but ended up receiving nearly 3,000 tonnes daily. No wonder it caught fire not long after it was overwhelmed,” he said.
He added that acquiring land for new waste disposal sites had become increasingly difficult, particularly in Accra, where most land is privately owned.
“Landowners are also increasingly unwilling to lease land for dumping untreated waste because they believe it devalues their property,” he said.
Despite years of interventions, poorly managed solid and liquid waste continues to affect urban areas, threatening public health, environmental safety, and tourism.
Data from the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources indicates that Ghana generates an estimated 12,710 tonnes of solid waste daily, with Accra accounting for nearly 15 per cent.
However, only 10 per cent of this waste is recycled, while the remainder is disposed of in landfills, open drains, unauthorised dumpsites, or openly burned.
The inefficient waste handling system has also contributed to worsening air quality.
According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is the second leading environmental risk factor for disease in Ghana, linked to over 28,000 premature deaths annually.
Experts have cautioned that without immediate reforms, Ghana’s waste crisis will worsen, undermining public health, environmental sustainability, and national development goals.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey