Zanetor supports ban of Styrofoam

Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the Environment, Science and Technology Minister-designate, has expressed her support for the upcoming ban on the production, importation, distribution, sale, and use of polystyrene foam products in Ghana. She highlighted the significant environmental risks associated with the widespread use and disposal of these products, emphasizing the urgent need to address them.

Speaking before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on August 27, 2026, Agyeman-Rawlings stressed the importance of maintaining the proposed deadline of January 1, 2027, as part of efforts to tackle Ghana's waste management challenges. She noted that public education initiatives by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were underway to prepare businesses and consumers for the ban, citing a recent awareness campaign in Kumasi as evidence of these preparations.

Agyeman-Rawlings pointed out that Ghana's reliance on disposable packaging also reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior, noting the transition from using personal containers for purchases. She emphasized that reversing such practices would necessitate sustained efforts to change public behavior, though she acknowledged that behavior change can be incentivized or accompanied by penalties.

The effectiveness of the ban, she argued, would ultimately depend on robust enforcement and the seriousness of authorities in implementing it.