Managing solid waste for a sustainable Accra

Waste is the by-product of daily human activities. Its generation rates are rising worldwide, but its management remains very poor. With rapid population growth and urbanisation, the annual waste generation is expected to increase to 3.4 billion tonnes in 2050, amounting to a footprint of 0.74 kilograms per person per day. Compared to those in high-income nations, residents in low- and middle-income countries, where waste generation may triple, are more severely impacted by unsustainably managed waste. 

In most Ghanaian cities, though waste management consumes about 20-50% of the municipal budgets, over 90% of waste is often disposed of in unregulated dumps or openly burned. These practices create serious health, safety, and environmental consequences. Accra’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) reveals that poorly managed waste contributes to flooding as well as air and water pollution. It also serves as a breeding ground for disease vectors, contributes to climate change through methane generation, and can even promote urban violence.

This project provides the evidence needed for policymakers and stakeholders to better understand trends, challenges, and opportunities within the waste industry. It facilitates the designing and implementation of tailor-made interventions that consider the variables that influence waste generation and its management systems, new social behaviours, and production and consumption patterns.