Air pollution in Accra, Ghana

Problems

• Air pollution in Accra, Ghana

  Air pollution remains Ghana's number one environmental health risk. It accounts for about 8% of total annual mortality. The economic cost of air pollution is estimated at $2.5 billion, about 4.2% of Ghana's GDP. Because air quality is invisible, it appears to be a silent killer.

• The link between public health and air pollution

  In Ghana, thousands of premature deaths can be linked to poor air quality. There is growing scientific evidence that poor air quality is linked to heart disease, stroke, lung disease including lung cancer, chronic cough, asthma, and, most recently, the effects of coronavirus disease.

• Causes of Air Pollution in Ghana

  There may be a few causes of air pollution in Ghana, but they have had a huge impact on the health and well-being of Ghanaians and their environment. In particular, the main sources of air pollution in the Greater Accra area are industrial facilities, vehicle traffic, landfills, and domestic activities.
  
  This has attracted the attention of foreign organizations and non-governmental organizations seeking to understand what can be done to improve Ghana's air pollution situation.
  
  Below are the top 5 causes of air pollution in Ghana.
  ● Fashion waste
  ● Electronic waste
  ● Indoor pollution
  ● Construction dust
  ● Emissions from industry and factories

• Fashion Waste

  Today, fast fashion brands are overproducing to keep up with current trends, creating a huge environmental problem in West Africa. Fifteen million used clothing items are imported into Ghana every week. These second-hand clothes are unwanted fashion fringes of the Western world.
  
  Every day ships bring 160 tons of old clothes into the country. Clothes donated to charity in Europe or the United States are unwanted in the developed world.
  
  40% of what goes on the market goes directly to landfills, creating mountains of unwanted clothing where it is burned, causing air pollution. The fashion industry loses about $500 billion a year to fashion waste. It causes an environmental disaster.
  This smoke doesn't make you sick immediately, but over a long period, it negatively impacts your health. Smoke is unhealthy when inhaled. It's hard to breathe, making city dwellers sick all too often.

• Electronic Waste

  Workers burn electronic cables to extract precious metals at a landfill in Agbogblosha, the capital of Ghana, Accra. Electronic items with high copper content are in high demand by scrap metal dealers. When they burn these electronic materials, the smoke released is very toxic to their health and the environment. Only the part containing cables and metal and plastic castings is sent for recycling. The rest is discarded or incinerated since there are virtually no e-waste recycling facilities in the country. When it rains, the ash is washed into nearby ponds and rivers where animals graze. 
  
  Many of the chemicals present in these electronic devices are environmentally persistent, meaning they remain in the environment for a long period after being discarded.

• Indoor Pollution

  Indoor air pollution is now the number one cause of death in the world. According to the World Health Organization, about one-third of the world's solid fuels come from plant-based cooking materials, one of which is Ghana.
  
  These fuels are often used in an open fire or traditional stove, resulting in significant residential air pollution. Women and children are especially vulnerable to the toxic effects of pollution and are also exposed to the highest concentrations.

• Construction Dust

  Dust pollution is a serious problem in some parts of Ghana. This is important because of the construction work being done in the area to improve roads. Residents and commuters are forced to wear masks to protect themselves.
  To travel only a short distance, people are forced to wear different body, face, and nose coverings to avoid the deep penetration of dust for at least 30 minutes of travel.

• Emissions from industry and factories

  It would take a nose mask to survive a day or two in the free zone enclave of Tema (the area where most of the steel mills are located). But in the case of most factory workers, they have no choice but to inhale sulfur-rich smoke every day as they go about their daily business.
  
  The radiation darkens the environment, making it difficult to see or breathe. Some workers vomit blood because of the smoke, so they visit hospitals again and again. 
  
  Poor air quality is killing people. A World Health Organization report today says that for 4.2 years, bad ambient air is responsible for over 2016 million premature deaths each year, of which about 90% of the deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, including Ghana.