The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, has described the widespread pollution of land and water bodies with plastic waste as a grave threat to the survival of Ghanaians.

According to him, Ghana has escalated from producing 40,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually to over 1.1 million tonnes. Of this amount, only 9% is recycled, while approximately 50% remains uncollected.

This, he noted, results in the frequent blockage of drains and gutters, with large amounts of plastic waste washed into rivers and other water bodies.

Dr Muhammed warned that if the situation persists, fisherfolk may soon catch more plastic than fish when they go to sea.

Speaking at the Environmental Sustainability Summit in Accra on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, he said the public health risks and economic cost of plastic pollution are estimated at over US$6 billion annually which translates to 11% of Ghana’s GDP.

“The issue of plastic waste is a serious danger to our survival. It clogs our drainage systems, pollutes our water bodies, and it's projected that in the next 10 to 15 years, we could have more plastics in our water than fish,” he stated.

“The fish we consume may already contain plastic. Public health risks and the economic costs are huge, over $6 billion each year,” the minister added.

Dr Muhammed indicated that MESTI is working on legislation for mandatory extended producer responsibility which will require plastic producers to contribute financially to the collection and recycling of their products.

He said government is actively exploring environmentally friendly local alternatives to plastics as part of its broader sustainability agenda.



SA/MA