Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Quantitative analysis of plastic waste accumulation in coastal Ghana: Implications for waste management

Researchers conducted a quantitative analysis of plastic waste accumulation patterns along the coastal region of Accra, Ghana, evaluating dispersal distributions and spatial clustering to understand the implications for waste management in a developing country lacking robust plastic waste handling infrastructure.

2025 Communication in Physical Sciences
Article Tier 2

Solid Waste Management in Coastal Ghana

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.

2018
Article Tier 2

The Health and Environmental Impact of Plastic Waste Disposal in South African Townships: A Review

This review examines the health and environmental impacts of plastic waste disposal in South African townships, where inadequate waste management infrastructure leads to significant plastic pollution. Researchers found that improper disposal causes soil and water contamination, contributes to microplastic pollution, and poses direct health risks to community residents. The study calls for improved recycling infrastructure and community-based waste management solutions in underserved areas.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Abundance and Spatial Distribution of Marine Debris on Ghanaian Urban Coastal Beaches

Marine debris abundance and spatial distribution were comprehensively assessed on three urban coastal beaches in Ghana along the Gulf of Guinea. The study characterized debris types and distribution patterns, documenting significant plastic accumulation with implications for coastal ecosystem health, public safety, and eco-tourism.

2024 Journal of Environmental Geography 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Ghana: An in-depth review of research, environmental threats, sources, and impacts on ecosystems and human health

This review examines the state of microplastic research in Ghana, finding that contamination is widespread across coastal areas, rivers, lakes, and forests. Most studies have focused on coastal environments, leaving significant knowledge gaps about inland pollution and its effects on the communities that depend on these ecosystems. The review calls for systematic policy frameworks and more targeted research to protect both ecosystems and human health in Ghana.

2024 Heliyon 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Fisherfolk’s Perception of and Attitude to Solid Waste Disposal: Implications for Health, Aquatic Resources, and Sustainable Development

This study explored how fisherfolk in a Ghanaian coastal community perceive solid waste disposal, finding that despite recognizing waste as undesirable, entrenched practices and limited infrastructure perpetuate aquatic pollution with implications for public health and sustainable development.

2021 Journal of Environmental and Public Health 8 citations
Review Tier 2

A Review of the Literature on the Environmental and Health Impact of Plastic Waste Pollutants in Sub-Saharan Africa

This review examines the environmental and health impacts of plastic waste in sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting how rapid population growth, inadequate waste management, and improper disposal contribute to organic pollutant release affecting both land and marine ecosystems.

2022 Pollutants 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Inter-observer reliability in transect-based observations of environmental waste in greater accra and kisumu: implications for waste management

Researchers assessed how consistently different observers recorded roadside waste using standardized survey methods in Ghana and Kenya, finding that reliability varied enough to affect data quality — an important consideration for developing effective waste management policies in rapidly growing African cities.

2024 International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental and human health risks of indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste and sachet water bags in Maiduguri, Borno State Nigeria

This study examines the environmental and health impacts of improperly discarded plastic bottles and water sachets in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The research found that accumulated plastic waste blocks drainage systems causing flooding, contaminates soil and water, and creates breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes, highlighting how plastic pollution directly threatens public health in developing communities.

2024 Waste Management Bulletin 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Water pollution by urban solid waste and microplastics in a rural community in the state of Guerrero, Mexico

A mixed-methods study assessed water contamination from open-air dumpsites and microplastics in a rural community in Guerrero, Mexico. Geospatial analysis identified high-risk dumpsites near water sources, and microplastic analysis confirmed contamination in local water bodies, highlighting the disproportionate environmental health burden on rural low-income communities.

2025 International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies
Article Tier 2

Solid Waste Disposal and Extent of Selected Heavy Metals in Fadama Area of Sokoto City, Nigeria

This study assessed solid waste disposal practices and heavy metal concentrations in the Fadama area of Sokoto city, Nigeria, finding elevated levels of multiple metals in soil samples attributable to improper waste dumping, with implications for public health in communities living near informal disposal sites.

2023 Journal of Bioresources and Environmental Sciences 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastic contamination levels in ghana's mangrove wetlands

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination levels in Ghana's mangrove wetlands, examining how the morphology of mangrove root systems traps and accumulates plastic particles of all sizes and assessing the threat posed to these ecologically critical coastal ecosystems.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Health and Environmental Hazard of Plastic Waste in The Communities of Niger Delta

This study investigated plastic waste health impacts in Niger Delta communities by analyzing water, fish, sediment, and human blood samples for physico-chemical parameters and contaminants. Microplastics and associated chemical pollutants were detected, highlighting risks to residents in areas with poor waste management infrastructure.

2024 International Journal of Environment and Pollution Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Using Factor Analysis to Understand the Influence of Individual Perception on Plastic Waste Disposal

Researchers used factor analysis to identify the key influences on plastic waste disposal behavior among 360 randomly selected residents in three districts of Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana. The most influential factors were inadequate municipal waste collection and lack of education (factor loadings of 0.84 and 0.82), followed by perceptions of plastic durability, distance to disposal infrastructure, and weak regulatory enforcement.

2022 Indonesian Journal of Social and Environmental Issues (IJSEI) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying co-contaminant sediment risk using geostatistical entropy and pollution indices: A transferable model from Ghana’s Birim basin

Researchers applied a transferable geostatistical framework combining Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, geo-accumulation indices, and ecological risk indices to assess co-contamination of sediments by microplastics and heavy metals in Ghana's Birim River basin, a tropical system impacted by artisanal mining and plastic waste mismanagement.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances
Article Tier 2

Evaluating the Health and Ecological Risks of Plastic Waste Pollution in Lagos State

This review assessed the health and ecological risks of plastic waste pollution in Lagos, Nigeria, examining how population growth and industrialization have driven plastic accumulation and discussing policy frameworks needed to manage the growing burden of plastic waste.

2025 International journal of research and scientific innovation
Article Tier 2

Invisible Peril: Assessing microplastic pollution in Ghanaian mangroves

This study assessed microplastic pollution in mangrove sediments in Ghana, measuring particle abundance, types, and polymer composition across multiple mangrove sites. Microplastics were ubiquitous in all sampled mangroves, with highest concentrations near urban and fishing communities.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 9 citations
Review Tier 2

Waste Mismanagement in Developing Countries: A Review of Global Issues

This review examines the global problem of solid waste mismanagement in developing countries, where open dumping and open burning remain the primary disposal methods. Researchers found that these practices cause severe environmental contamination including microplastic generation, toxic emissions, and groundwater pollution. The study highlights the health risks faced by waste workers and nearby communities and calls for improved waste infrastructure in low-income regions.

2019 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2100 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastic contamination levels in ghana's mangrove wetlands

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination levels in mangrove wetlands in Ghana, examining how mangrove tree morphology facilitates plastic accumulation and what concentrations and polymer types are present in these coastal ecosystems. The study addressed threats to mangrove ecological services including water quality improvement, carbon sequestration, and coastline protection posed by plastic pollution.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Pollution fingerprinting of two southwestern estuaries in Ghana

Researchers assessed pollution in two Ghanaian estuaries and found microplastic contamination alongside elevated levels of nitrate, phosphorus, and metals in sediments, with fragments being the most common microplastic type across both sites.

2022 Heliyon 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Macro impacts of plastic pollution in Ghana

Researchers applied qualitative system dynamics causal modelling to assess the macro-level impacts of plastic pollution in Ghana and West Africa, constructing a hierarchical framework linking high-level and low-level pollution effects across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. The systems thinking approach aims to inform effective policy development for preventing and mitigating plastic pollution in the region.

2024 Cambridge Prisms Plastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Innovative Use of Plastic for a Clean and Sustainable Environmental Management: Learning Cases from Ghana, Africa

This paper documents innovative approaches in Ghana where plastic waste is creatively converted into artifacts and pavement blocks rather than being discarded. The study suggests that these community-driven recycling initiatives help reduce plastic waste volumes, address urban drainage problems, and offer scalable learning cases for environmental sustainability in developing countries.

2021 Urban Science 79 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Environmental health science research: opportunities and challenges for some developing countries in Africa

This systematic review examines the challenges and opportunities in environmental health research across African countries. While broader than microplastics alone, the findings highlight that developing nations face significant gaps in monitoring pollutants, including plastic contamination, which means health risks may be underestimated in regions with less research infrastructure.

2024 International Journal of Environmental Health Research 10 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Plastic Pollution in the Environment in Nigeria: A Rapid Systematic Review of the Sources, Distribution, Research Gaps and Policy Needs

This systematic review examines plastic pollution across Nigeria's environment, including water, soil, air, and food. The research finds that plastic contamination is widespread but under-studied in African countries, with significant gaps in data and policy. Understanding plastic pollution in developing nations is critical because these regions often lack the waste management infrastructure to prevent microplastic contamination of food and water.

2022 13 citations