Ghana’s Trash Problem: One Woman’s Fight Against Plastic Waste
By Chris
Accra, Ghana — In the heart of Madina Zongo, a narrow footpath winds between makeshift kiosks and food stalls. A foul smell lingers in the air. Below the path, a drainage canal is choked with discarded sachet water bags, plastic bottles, and black polythene. It’s a common sight in Ghana’s urban neighborhoods — but one woman is trying to change that.
Meet Felicia Owusu, a 38-year-old sanitation crusader who has turned her frustration into action. With a reflective vest, broom in hand, and an ever-present megaphone, she leads a community clean-up every Saturday, shouting: “If you eat, bin it! If you drink, don’t drop it!”
She’s not a government official. She’s not paid. But in a city overwhelmed by waste, Felicia has become a force of nature.
The Scale of the Crisis
According to the Ghana Plastic Pollution Report 2023:
- The country generates over 1.1 million tonnes of plastic waste annually
- Less than 10% is recycled
- The rest ends up in drains, beaches, landfills — or is burned in the open air
- Urban centers like Accra and Kumasi bear the heaviest burden
Much of the waste comes from single-use plastics: water sachets, food wrappers, and takeout containers — all convenient, cheap, and widespread.
“We are literally drowning in plastic,” says Professor Eunice Darkwah, an environmental scientist at the University of Ghana.
A Personal Mission
For Felicia, it all started in 2019 when her daughter fell ill after a flood. The neighborhood had flooded due to blocked drains — clogged with plastic.
“She had rashes, diarrhea, and a fever,” Felicia recalls. “I realized this filth was killing us slowly.”
Instead of waiting for the city council, Felicia started her own initiative — “Zongo Zero Waste.” She gathered neighbors, churches, and shop owners to organize weekend clean-ups.
At first, people laughed. “They called me ‘mad woman,’” she says. “But now they join me.”
The Human Toll
Poor waste management isn’t just an environmental issue — it’s a public health crisis.
- Blocked drains contribute to flooding and cholera outbreaks
- Burning plastic releases toxic fumes linked to respiratory disease and cancer
- Animals and children sometimes ingest plastic, leading to death or long-term health issues
Children in slum areas play barefoot amid waste dumps. Street vendors cook beside mounds of uncollected rubbish.
“It’s a cycle of exposure and neglect,” says Dr. James Amankwah, a public health physician. “And the poor suffer the most.”
Government Response: Too Little, Too Slow?
In 2015, Ghana launched the National Plastics Management Policy, aiming to:
- Promote recycling and waste separation
- Introduce biodegradable alternatives
- Support eco-businesses through tax incentives
- Improve municipal sanitation services
But implementation has been patchy. Waste bins are often missing or overflow within hours. Laws against littering are rarely enforced.
“We have good policies,” says Prof. Darkwah. “But no political will to enforce them.”
Recycling: A Missed Opportunity?
Felicia collects plastic bottles and sends them to a local recycler, but it’s not profitable.
“There’s no fixed price,” she explains. “Sometimes they take them. Sometimes they don’t.”
Ghana’s recycling industry is small and largely informal. Most recyclers operate on tight margins, without proper machinery or access to funding.
“We need investment,” says entrepreneur Kwame Mensah, who runs a micro-recycling plant in Tema. “Plastic isn’t trash — it’s a resource.”
Women at the Forefront
Felicia is part of a growing wave of women-led environmental action in Ghana:
- Plastic Punch – Founded by a group of women to protect marine ecosystems
- Green Africa Youth Organization – Led community composting projects in Accra
- Eco Warriors Movement – Promotes zero-waste education in schools
“Women are closest to the home, to the market, to the kitchen,” says Felicia. “We see the waste first, so we must act first.”
Education and Culture
Changing behavior is just as important as infrastructure. Felicia visits local schools with her megaphone and posters.
She teaches kids to separate waste, reuse bottles, and shame litterbugs.
“Children listen,” she smiles. “And they go home and correct their parents.”
But the culture of littering is hard to break.
“People think the street is a bin,” says a frustrated shop owner in Nima. “Even when the bin is right there!”
A Model for the Future?
Inspired by Felicia, several neighborhoods in Madina have now launched their own “waste squads.” Local assembly members have offered gloves and rakes. A small donor NGO provided t-shirts with the slogan: “Clean Zongo, Healthy Zongo.”
Felicia dreams of turning her initiative into a full NGO.
“We want to train young people to sort waste, make soap from plastic ash, build with plastic bricks,” she says. “Why can’t we clean and earn at the same time?”
Final Thought
Ghana’s trash problem is visible, growing, and urgent. But in a quiet corner of Madina, one woman is proving that ordinary citizens can do extraordinary things — with a broom, a voice, and a lot of courage.
“We can’t wait for government,” Felicia says, sweeping the street. “The plastic won’t wait either.”