President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to ban the importation and local production of Styrofoam in Ghana, describing the material as a major environmental pollutant.

The announcement came on Thursday, June 5, during the launch of the 2025 national tree planting exercise, a flagship initiative aimed at restoring forest cover and combating climate change.

Addressing the public, President Mahama expressed concern about the widespread use of Styrofoam, especially in food packaging, and its detrimental impact on Ghana’s environment.

“One of the most polluters is Styrofoam plastics, where you go and buy your food, and they put it in that whitish something, and you finish eating, you just dump it. That is one of the biggest polluters,” he said.

He further announced that the Ministry of Environment will soon take formal steps to enforce the ban, urging manufacturers and importers to prepare for the policy shift.

“We have to use paper packaging or aluminium foil for our food. I’m informing the manufacturers and importers of Styrofoam that soon we are going to ban the importation and production of Styrofoam in Ghana,” the President stated.

The ban is part of broader government efforts to promote sustainable environmental practices and tackle the growing plastic waste crisis in the country.

Environmental advocates have long called for such action, citing Styrofoam’s non-biodegradable nature and harm to both terrestrial and marine ecosystems.