Stakeholders in Ghana’s waste management sector have urged the government to fast-track the development of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy framework to create an inclusive, incentive-driven system for managing plastic, packaging, and textile waste.
The call was made at a national workshop on EPR and eco-modulation held under the Protego Project by Adelphi, an international organisation, in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Plastic Punch, and the Ghana National Cleaner Production Centre (GNCPC).
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Participants stressed that the workshop discussions were crucial in shaping Ghana’s next steps toward operationalising the EPR policy, which seeks to make producers financially and physically responsible for managing their post-consumer products, including collection, recycling, and safe disposal.
Mr Larry Kotoe, Deputy Director for Ghana E-Waste Programmes at the EPA, said the Authority was developing the EPR framework as a comprehensive legislative instrument that would consolidate product-based responsibilities across multiple waste streams.
“EPR is not new to Ghana; we began its implementation under Act 917 and L.I. 2250 in 2016. What we are doing now is extending the product streams to include packaging, plastics, glass, metals, textiles, and electronics under a single framework,” he explained.
Mr Kotoe revealed that the EPA had completed a zero draft of the framework following a World Bank-supported landscape study on plastics and was now reviewing the first draft for wider stakeholder consultation.
“We expect to engage stakeholders again in the coming weeks and target completion of the legal process by the first half of 2026,” he added.
He noted that the consolidated policy would align Ghana with global best practices, including the European Union’s circular economy model, by applying consistent principles of circularity and producer accountability.
Mr Moker Zurker, Senior Manager and Co-Lead for Green Entrepreneurship at Adelphi, emphasised that clear eco-modulation guidelines were key to ensuring effective implementation.
“Our project provides technical assistance to the EPA to ensure these guidelines and tools are well understood and implemented,” he said.
Mr Zurker added that the framework would clearly define who qualifies as a producer, noting that importers might also share responsibility for managing end-of-life textiles — either directly or through accredited recyclers.
He explained that the EPR system would introduce a financial mechanism through producer fees to fund recycling infrastructure and stimulate private-sector investment.
“Once the law is passed and financing mechanisms are in place, investors will have the confidence to establish recycling facilities. Government’s role will be to provide the enabling environment,” he stated.
A participant, who preferred anonymity, described the dialogue as timely but urged the authorities to accelerate the policy process.
“By now, EPA and its partners should have a strong proposal ready for consideration. We must also focus on incentives, companies that have shown leadership in waste management should be rewarded through tax or policy incentives,” the participant said.
