The “Big Switch”; Plastics to Paper. Ghana’s Long Eco Journey: Challenges, Prospects and Opportunities.

Abstract

This study examines the plastic pollution menace globally and its ramifications for Ghana. The study was motivated by the increasing wave of plastic production and its attendant disposal challenges. Deploying a qualitative methodology, the study used primary sources like interviews and reviewed secondary data on plastic pollution in addition to a field research involving senior public officials and private citizens. The findings of this study show that there is a major global effort, led by the United Nations, to protect the environment in general and manage plastic waste in particular. Of utmost significance in this regard is the Basel Convention which has recently been amended to include provisions on plastic waste management. The study also assessed the capacity of Ghana to deal with plastic pollution and the findings show that although the country is signatory to several international Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and has made efforts to domesticate some of them, it lacks the political will to fully implement them. For example, the country is currently having challenges with landfill sites to manage waste, yet the study could not establish that there are plans to make substantial investments in recycling or incineration of waste, apart from a few private sector initiatives. The study concludes with some recommendations on how the Government of Ghana can rally citizens to reduce plastic pollution on the environment.