The Ashanti Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Dr Jackson Adiyiah Nyantakyi, said these alternatives could help reduce the environmental problems associated with styrofoam.

Speaking on the sidelines of COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, on November 12, 2026, he said the Authority was ready to enforce the ban, which will cover the purchase, sale, distribution and use of styrofoam products.

Ban on styrofoam and single-use plastics key to tackling flooding - EPA

“Previously, we used food packaging materials, especially those we sourced locally in Ghana. We need to return to them because they are biodegradable and do not create the same environmental challenges for Ghana,” he said.

He also identified plant-based packaging materials and paper bags as possible substitutes for styrofoam products.

Dr Nyantakyi said the ban forms part of efforts to tackle plastic pollution, address environmental concerns and protect public health.

He explained that the decision was informed by concerns about the environmental and health implications of styrofoam products, particularly their inability to decompose easily.

Dr Nyantakyi said the President had directed the EPA to develop a roadmap for withdrawing the products from the domestic market.

JKB/BAI

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