Ghana: Fight Against Environmental Pollution - Extend Styrofoam Ban to Single-Use Plastics - - GMA

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a Ghanaian Times report dated July 27, 2026, said Ghana Medical Association President Professor Dr Ernest Yorke urged the government to broaden its planned Styrofoam ban or phase-out to include all single-use plastics. Speaking at the GMA’s 26th Annual Public Lecture in Koforidua, he linked poorly discarded plastic waste to blocked drains and waterways, saying it worsens flooding during periods of heavy rain.

Yorke framed the proposal as both an environmental and public health measure. According to the report, he said thin plastic bags and other packaging used for hot food may pose health concerns, while discarded plastics add to Ghana’s waste management pressures. He said a wider ban would be more effective if paired with affordable substitutes, better waste collection, recycling, public education and firm enforcement of environmental rules.

The lecture’s theme was food safety in contemporary Ghana. Yorke said food safety affects the full chain from production and transport to preparation, sale and consumption, and called on regulators, vendors, consumers and health professionals to share responsibility for reducing risks. He urged stronger government oversight, hygienic practices among food sellers, informed choices by consumers and responsible disposal of waste.

The Ghanaian Times also reported comments from Professor Amos Laar of the University of Ghana School of Public Health, who called for cooperation among public agencies, academia, industry and civil society, plus measures such as food labelling and tighter standards. Food and Drugs Authority Deputy Chief Executive Officer Roderick Kwabena Daddey-Adjei encouraged consumers to buy from approved sources and said the FDA remained committed to market safety.