Ghana to outlaw styrofoam food containers in environmental push

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government will soon ban the production and importation of styrofoam food containers in Ghana.

The move, he said, forms part of broader efforts to tackle plastic pollution and promote the use of safer, more environmentally friendly alternatives.

Speaking at a national event to mark World Environment Day 2025 at the Kwabenya Community Day School on Thursday, June 5, 2025, President Mahama stated that the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology would begin enforcing the ban in the coming months.

“We will ban the importation and production of styrofoam in Ghana. Food packaging will shift to paper or aluminium foil,” Mr Mahama said.

“I’m informing manufacturers and importers to prepare for this change, as the Ministry of Environment will soon enforce this policy.”

The ban is expected to affect many food vendors, takeaway operators, importers, and local manufacturers, particularly those who rely on styrofoam packaging due to its affordability.

Environmental experts have consistently raised concerns about styrofoam, describing it as non-biodegradable and harmful to drainage systems, coastal ecosystems, and human health.

Mr Mahama noted that the widespread use of single-use plastics, including styrofoam, has created growing environmental problems across the country.

“Plastics are clogging our gutters and waterways, littering our beaches, polluting our farmlands, and choking our urban streams,” he said.

He added that, if no action is taken, plastics could outnumber fish in the ocean by 2050, according to global projections.

The President also outlined a number of ongoing policy measures aimed at addressing these challenges.

These include the National Plastics Management Policy, which requires manufacturers and importers to take full responsibility for the products they put on the market.

Additionally, the government has revised its Solid Waste Management Strategy to reduce the volume of plastic waste in landfills by 60 per cent by the year 2030.

According to Mr Mahama, some city authorities, including those in Tamale and Takoradi, are already piloting household and market waste separation programmes using colour-coded bins. He said the results have been encouraging.

“Entrepreneurs are converting used plastics into building materials, textiles, and fuel briquettes,” he said. “The dustbins presented here today, made from recycled plastic, are evidence of this innovation.”

The decision to phase out styrofoam follows another directive announced by the government to end the use of wooden furniture in public schools. Mr Mahama said desks will soon be made from recycled plastic or metal, as part of a wider plan to reduce deforestation.

The event also saw the launch of the One Tree Per Child initiative, which seeks to engage every school-aged child in planting and nurturing a tree.

Mr Mahama said each pupil would be given a seedling suitable for their local environment, with guidance from teachers, forestry officers, and traditional leaders.

He explained that the goal is not only to plant millions of trees by 2030, but to instil a sense of care and responsibility for nature in the younger generation.

Mr Mahama urged the public to support the initiative and take personal action to improve their surroundings.

“To every Ghanaian, I issue a simple challenge: pledge not to litter, to reduce plastic use, and to plant and care for at least one tree,” he said.

“Let us refuse single-use plastics, sort waste at home, adopt sustainable alternatives, and teach our children by example that a clean, green Ghana is not only possible but necessary.”