World Environment Day 2025: Stakeholders urge action on single-use plastics

Ghana is making progress in reducing plastic pollution. This effort involves collaboration and commitment from the private sector.

A key part of this initiative is the Voluntary Pact to Reduce Single-Use Plastics. It is a business-led project co-designed by Plastic Punch, a local NGO. The German Development Cooperation supports it under the global program, Go Circular.

The Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology (MEST) backs this initiative along with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The Voluntary Pact includes supermarkets, retail businesses, banks, and markets across Ghana. They aim to cut single-use plastics (SUP) by 50% by 2030.

Inspired by successful practices from Germany, Kenya, and Rwanda, the Pact focuses on consumer behavior change. A flagship campaign called “Bag the Habit of Single-Use Plastic” encourages Ghanaians to refuse and reuse plastic bags. This campaign supports existing advocacy efforts and emphasizes everyday choices.

To mark World Environment Day in 2025, stakeholders highlighted urgent needs for policy reforms and public engagement on single-use plastics. Hobson Agyapong from EPA stated that single-use plastics threaten our environment. He noted that collaboration helps build bridges between regulators and businesses for practical solutions.

One measure being tested is a 50-pesewa fee on plastic bags. This fee encourages consumers to switch to reusable alternatives. Richmond Quarcoo from Plastic Punch explained that charging for plastic bags nudges consumers toward better choices about waste.

Supermarkets like SNEDA and All Needs Supermarket are already promoting the Bag the Habit campaign. While supermarkets contribute significantly to plastic waste, Ghana's food industry also plays a major role in this issue.

To address this sector, the Go Circular Project recently completed its Business Development Programme for Circular SMEs with Impact Footprints Africa. This initiative helps small businesses in food catering reduce reliance on single-use plastics.

Participating SMEs are adopting sustainable practices like using leaves for wrapping waakye or switching to paper bags and reusable jars. From Accra’s supermarkets to local vendors, a national shift is underway.

As Ghana rewrites its plastic story, the Voluntary Pact represents a growing movement towards a cleaner future.