Maintain January 2027 deadline for Styrofoam ban – Zanetor urges EPA

Minister-designate for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to uphold the planned ban on polystyrene foam products, colloquially known as Styrofoam or takeaway containers, effective January 1, 2027. She emphasized the hazardous environmental consequences of widespread usage and improper disposal of such products, compelling urgent action to mitigate their impact.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings made this appeal during her vetting process before Parliament’s Appointments Committee in Accra on Thursday, August 27.

The proposed ban, she noted, is part of a wider strategy to address Ghana's burgeoning waste management issues and encourage greener practices. The EPA has already commenced public awareness initiatives in anticipation of the ban, with a recent campaign in Kumasi being one such effort. Dr Agyeman-Rawlings highlighted the EPA's recent activities in Kumasi, emphasizing the critical nature of avoiding the dangers associated with polystyrene use.

She also advocated for a shift in public perception regarding disposable packaging, reminiscing about a time when people routinely brought their own containers for food purchases. "Not to belittle the issue, but I remember as children, when you wanted to go for Auntie Naa’s rice, you took your own pot to go and buy the rice," she remarked, stressing a change in behavior as the ultimate solution.

While acknowledging that behavioral change may be a gradual process, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings suggested that incentives and penalties could motivate compliance. "Obviously, behaviour change is something that can take time, but it can be incentivised, or you can put penalties in place," she added. She underscored that the ban's success would hinge on effective enforcement and the decisive stance taken by authorities to tackle the environmental challenges posed by polystyrene products.