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By: Edward Graham Sebbie
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has intensified public education in the Upper West Region ahead of the nationwide ban on polystyrene and styrofoam products, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.
Led by the Chief Executive Officer of the EPA, Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, the campaign is urging businesses, consumers, market women and other stakeholders to prepare for enforcement while adopting affordable, sustainable alternatives.
The engagement brought together players from the hospitality industry, the Department of Gender and other sectors to discuss the policy, its implications and the collective responsibility needed for successful implementation.
Professor Klutse recalled that President John Dramani Mahama announced the policy in 2025 during World Environment Day celebrations, citing the role of styrofoam products in blocking drains, polluting soils and degrading the environment.
She said the EPA has engaged manufacturers, producers and importers to facilitate a smooth transition to alternative packaging.
According to her, the Authority will work with the Ghana Police Service and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to enforce compliance from January 1, 2027.
“The ban takes effect on the very first day of January 2027,” she stressed, urging Ghanaians to begin reducing usage now.
Prof. Klutse said while styrofoam takeaway packs are popular for convenience, they come at a high environmental cost. The materials are difficult to dispose of and often end up in drains, waterways and open spaces, contributing to flooding and sanitation challenges.
She also flagged potential health risks when hot food is served in such containers, the hazardous fumes released when they are burned, and fire-safety concerns associated with polystyrene used in roofing, ceilings and mattresses.
She encouraged a return to traditional packaging practices – carrying reusable bowls and using leaves for local meals like waakye and tuo zaafi – and listed viable alternatives including paper-based and sugarcane-based packaging, bamboo products, aluminium foil containers, reusable food-grade plastics and glass containers.
The Chairman of the Hotels Association of Ghana in the Upper West Region, Stephen Mwinkara, pledged the sector’s support, noting that businesses recognise the need to protect the environment on which tourism depends.
He acknowledged that businesses seek affordable packaging to cut costs but warned that the long-term cost of pollution affects everyone. A cleaner environment, he said, will attract visitors and grow hospitality businesses.
Mr. Mwinkara also cautioned that discarded plastics are ingested by livestock, affecting animal health, food supply and ultimately food prices.
He disclosed that hotels in the region have already begun discussions to stop purchasing affected packaging materials.
The Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Madam Batore, described the ban as crucial for public health and environmental sanitation, noting that women and children who often manage household waste are exposed to hazards when plastics are burned or improperly handled.
She called for affordable and accessible alternatives so that market women and small-scale traders are not left without viable options.
Other speakers at the engagement highlighted fire-safety risks, warning that polystyrene burns rapidly and releases hazardous smoke. They promoted the 5Rs of waste management – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair and Recycle – and stressed that refusing unnecessary packaging prevents waste at source.
Professor Klutse said the styrofoam ban is only the first phase of a broader effort to tackle plastic pollution, with future engagements expected to cover sachet-water packaging, plastic bottles and polythene bags.
She cited concerns about plastic waste on farmlands hampering cultivation and agricultural productivity.
The engagement ended with calls for stronger public awareness, inter-institutional cooperation and the provision of affordable alternatives before enforcement.
While stakeholders expressed support, they stressed that success will depend on public compliance, effective enforcement and practical support for affected traders.
The EPA is expected to sustain its nationwide awareness campaign until enforcement begins on January 1, 2027.
