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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Human Health Effects Marine & Wildlife Sign in to save

Solid Waste Management in Coastal Ghana

2018
Ivy S.G. Akuoko, Ivy Akuoko

Summary

This paper assessed solid waste management challenges in coastal communities of Ghana, finding that inadequate infrastructure leads to plastics and other waste being dumped directly into coastal waters or on beaches. The study highlights how waste management failures in developing coastal regions directly drive marine plastic pollution.

Solid waste management is a major problem in most areas of coastal Ghana, where waste is dumped into drains that discharge into the sea or is dumped directly onto beaches. This is as a result of inadequate waste management infrastructure, low patronage of the few infrastructure available, and poor management. The consequence is an increase in vulnerability to sanitation related diseases such as malaria, typhoid and cholera as well as threatened coastal ecosystems’ health. Improper solid waste disposal practices are usually counter-productive to the many benefits and uses of the coast and directly impact the livelihoods and businesses that are dependent on the coast and the sea. For coastal management purposes, there is a need to gather knowledge about household waste disposal methods, quantify the amount of waste generated within the selected community, and identify opportunities for proper waste management.

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