Ghana’s struggle with waste management has taken a direct toll on the economy, with refuse disposal emerging as one of the top contributors to inflation in September 2025.
The sector recorded an inflation rate of 25.7%, well above the national average of 9.4% and rivaling essentials such as food and education, reflecting how the rising cost of managing waste is feeding into the general increase in prices that households face across everyday goods and services.
Ghana generates an estimated 13,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily, with Accra alone producing nearly 2,800 tonnes. Yet findings reveal only about 10% is properly collected and disposed of, leaving the remainder to accumulate along streets, drains, and riverbanks or be burned, creating environmental and health hazards.
Plastic and textile waste are particularly visible. Ghana produces 840,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually, yet less than 10% is recycled. At Accra’s Kantamanto Market, up to 40% of imported garments go unsold, adding to growing textile waste that often ends up blocking drains or littering streets.
For residents, the crisis is tangible. Navigating streets or sitting in traffic often means passing discarded wrappers, bottles, and clothing. Attempts to correct littering can escalate quickly, reflecting a culture where cleanliness is frequently seen as someone else’s responsibility. Open dumping and burning add smoke and toxic fumes, while clogged drains worsen flooding during the rainy season.
The economic impact is already being felt. With municipal services stretched thin, households increasingly rely on private collectors, pushing up costs for waste removal. Businesses, too, are paying more to clear debris from markets, streets, and commercial areas. The result: refuse disposal is now a major driver of rising prices for everyday life.
Companies like Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the nation’s largest waste management service, have expanded fleets and collection points, yet coverage remains incomplete. Even with infrastructure in place, the attitude toward personal responsibility for waste limits effectiveness.
Ghana’s ambition to become a clean, modern nation hinges not only on investment in waste collection and recycling but also on changing public behavior.
Unless people start seeing waste not as garbage but as a resource that can be recycled or repurposed, as is done in many other countries, the streets will remain clogged, rivers polluted, and households paying more for a problem they actively contribute to.
