Ghana’s government has unveiled its plans to ban the import, manufacturing, and use of polystyrene foam food packaging. During the country’s launch of its nationwide initiative to restore Ghana’s forest and combat climate change, John Mahama, President of Ghana, made the announcement.
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Ghana could ban polystyrene food packaging.
“One of the most pernicious polluters is styrofoam plastic,” said Mahama. “When you go to buy your food and they put it in that white plastic something, and then you finish eating, you just dump it, which is one of the biggest polluters. And so, we are going to ban the importation of styrofoam plastics.”
Paper and aluminium foil were both named as key alternatives to polystyrene foam packaging that the country could turn to when looking for new food packaging options. On the potential ban, the Ghana Plastic Manufacturers’ Association has called for broader consultation and a more informed approach to policymaking.
The proposed plan follows similar restrictions against single-use plastic bags and packaging seen in other African nations, including Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. Additionally, Ghana introduced a 5% excise tax on plastic packaging last year.
The Ghana Plastic Manufacturers’ Association have their say
“The styrofoam that you see contains between 4% to 5% maximum plastic,” said Ebbo Botwe, President of the Ghana Plastic Manufacturers’ Association. “The rest is air. It is basically air. It becomes more of an eyesore in terms of impacting the environment. We have a meeting with the Minister of Environment between June 16 and 20. We really want to give the minister a proper overview of the plastic industry so when the government wants to initiate any programmes or any decision, he will be well informed.”
Botwe warned of unexpected consequences for manufacturers, workers, and consumers if the country went ahead with a blanket ban. He proposes that this energy should be directed towards better investment in waste infrastructure, recycling systems, and consumer education.
In recent years, the plastics industry has been trying to erase what it considers to be misconceptions regarding polystyrene. The industry has argued that the material boasts various sustainability properties like recyclability, good insulation, enhanced strength, and barrier properties, whilst also being lightweight.