Pollution along the world’s coastal lines has become a major environmental crisis that is posing a silent but serious threat to marine biodiversity, coastal economies, and global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: “Life Below Water.”
This goal, which is one of the 17 SDGs established by the United Nations (UN) in 2015, sought to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development by focusing on reducing marine pollution, and protecting marine ecosystems among others.
However, the increasing rates of pollution along the coastal shorelines are undermining these objectives, creating an ecological and economic crisis.
Marine pollution comes in many forms, including oil spills, untreated sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial discharge, with plastic waste leading the chain. These pollutants degrade water quality, harm marine species, and disrupt the entire ecosystems.
Some statistics
Global plastic waste generation has increased significantly over the past decades, driven by rising plastic production, consumption, and inadequate waste management.
Historical rise in plastic waste according to data from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), shows that in the 1950s–1970s, plastic production was relatively low but began increasing rapidly as it replaced traditional materials in packaging, textiles, and consumer goods.
In the 1980s–1990s, the use of single-use plastics surged, leading to a rise in plastic waste. Between the 2000s–2010s, plastic production more than doubled compared to the 1990s.
Recycling efforts expanded, but plastic waste mismanagement remained a major issue. Per the data, in the 2020s–present, annual plastic waste generation exceeds 400 million metric tons, with a substantial portion ending up in landfills, oceans, and the environment.
Key statistics
According to Our World in Data, between 1950–2015, approximately 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics were produced, with 6.3 billion metric tons becoming waste. In 2016 global plastic waste reached 320 million metric tons, and by 2018, more than 360 million metric tons of plastic were produced globally.
Per the data, as of 2023, estimated plastic waste generation exceeded 400 million metric tons, with some projecting that by 2050, without appropriate interventions, plastic waste could triple and exceed one billion metric tons annually.
Records also show that as of October 2023, Ghana was generating approximately 12,700 tons of solid waste daily, with only about 10 per cent being collected and properly disposed of at designated sites or treatment facilities.
According to the Ghana Plastic Manufacturers’ Association (GPMA), as of June 2021, there were 164 plastic manufacturing companies in the country and that about 87 per cent of industries in Ghana depend on the plastic manufacturers for all their plastic packaging needs. Therefore, an estimated 840,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste is produced annually, and less than 10 per cent of this plastic waste is recycled.
A study conducted by the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project in 2021, which focused on the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area revealed that about 54 per cent of the waste generated within the Metropolis is organic. Plastics accounted for approximately 16 per cent and inorganic materials made up about 13 per cent of the waste stream.
Plastic waste in the oceans
Each year, eight to 12 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans. In Ghana nine per cent of the total plastic waste generated annually end up in the ocean, highlighting significant environmental challenges.
Studies have projected that by 2050, plastic in the ocean might outweigh fish if current trends continue.
These figures underscore the urgent need for enhanced waste management strategies in Ghana, particularly in increasing waste collection efficiency and boosting recycling efforts to mitigate environmental impacts.
How plastic pollution undermines SDG 14
The SDG 14 aims at preventing and significantly reducing marine pollution of all kinds. However, pollution along shorelines is making it difficult to achieve this goal.
Some of the most critical targets under SDG 14 that are being undermined due to the pollution menace include:
Target 14.1: Reduce marine pollution, particularly from land-based activities including marine debris and nutrient pollution by 2025.
Target 14.2: Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems by 2020.
Target 14.5: Conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas by 2020.
Dr Jacob Dapilah, an Environmental Expert, and Chief Executive Officer of Salma AI-TRAINING and EcoSolutions, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said despite these global commitments, pollution in Ghana continues to degrade marine environments, with devastating consequences for biodiversity, coastal economies, and human health.
He said: “As a country, we are not doing enough, because plastic is a major waste stream in the system but the rate of recycling is not encouraging. We do about five per cent of the recycling and the rest end up on landfills and along the shores of our coasts.”
Impacts of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems
Plastic pollution along coastlines has far-reaching impacts, affecting both marine ecosystems and the millions of people who rely on them. Some of these are:
Biodiversity loss where marine species such as turtles, seabirds, and fish suffer from ingesting or getting entangled in plastic waste. Coral reefs and mangroves that are essential for marine biodiversity, are also dying due to pollution.
Fisheries decline because contaminated waters lead to declining fish populations, affecting the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities and threatening global food security.
Impact on the fishing industry
The fishing industry is one of the backbones of Ghana’s economy and sustenance, but facing severe challenges due to pollution at landing sites.
The fishing sector in the country contributes approximately five per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs nearly 10 per cent of the population, amounting to around two million individuals involved in fishing, processing, and marketing activities.
Despite the industry’s importance, pollution at fishing landing sites has become a pressing issue.
For fisherfolk who have always maintained a deep connection with the ocean, plastic pollution feels like a betrayal of their trusted partner because the water they once respected for its bounty is now turning toxic and unpredictable.
The effects of plastic pollution on marine life are severe. Fish are particularly vulnerable, as they unintentionally consume microplastics, mistaking them for plankton or other small organisms causing decline in population.
As fish populations suffer, so do the fishermen who rely on them. A fisherman may cast his net, hoping for the usual bounty of mackerel, shrimp, tilapia among other species, only to pull up plastic bottles, shopping bags, and broken fragments of fishing gear.
For them, this is not just about losing a day’s catch, it is about the gradual erosion of a way of life passed down from generations.
The impact of plastic pollution on fish catches is profound. Coastal communities around the world, depend on fishing as a primary source of income. As fish stocks dwindle due to plastic ingestion or habitat destruction, catches become smaller, less frequent, and more difficult to secure.
Available data indicates that in 2014, Ghana reported a total fish capture volume of 343,800 metric tons, however, by 2019, this had decreased to 309,320 metric tons.
Again, artisanal fishermen saw their catch volumes decline from 254,200 metric tons in 2014 to 170,149 metric tonnes in 2019. These figures show the dwindling nature of Ghana’s fisheries sector.
Nana Enu Bassaw, Chief Fisherman at Apo community in the Shama Municipality of the Western, recalls the days when they go on fishing expedition and came back with bumper catch, but not the same any longer.
“Back in the days, we used to cast our net and we would catch more than enough fish to sell and bring some home to our families. But now, we return with few fish, and sometimes plastics,” he narrated.
He believes that improper waste disposal by residents and untreated sewage into the sea exacerbates the pollution at fish landing sites.
He said: “I believe that the indiscriminate disposal of waste by the people is a huge factor because these rubbers end up in our gutters and drainages, which are then swept into the oceans any time it rains.”
Egya Kwaku Assefuah, a Linguist and Fisherman at Apo, shared similar sentiments, saying; “In the olden days when we were not troubled by this plastic pollution menace, the sea water was always fresh and harboured the fish in abundance.”
For him, the plastic waste menace has wreaked havoc on their fishing activities, impacting their economic and social lives.
The devastating impacts of plastic pollution at landing sites is not only a matter of concern to the fishermen but also the fishmongers. The livelihoods of those who depend on the fishing industry such as fishmongers are increasingly threatened by the plastic waste invading the waters.
Madam Ekua Demua, a fishmonger at Supomu Dunkwa, said: “Previously when we go to the shores, there would be enough fish for us to buy, but that has changed and we are troubled by this situation.”
For her, the pollution does not only affect the supply of fish or consumer trust, it also brings about unanticipated costs as fishmongers like herself, have to work harder to clean their fish and maintain hygiene from these pollutants.
This additional labour takes time and resources, eating into the already narrow profit margins they operate.
Despite the challenges, many fisherfolk along the value chain are fighting back to save the industry from collapse due to plastic pollution at landing sites and the sea.
Regulations on marine pollution
Ghana has established a comprehensive legal and policy framework to address marine pollution, aligning with international standards and conventions. One of them is the Maritime Pollution Act, 2016 (Act 932), that has been enacted to prevent, regulate, and control pollution from maritime activities within Ghana’s jurisdiction.
This Act incorporates provisions from international conventions such as the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC) among others.
Ghana has through the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, also adopted the Ghana National Plastics Management Policy to augment existing policies within the public and private sectors to address the rapidly growing plastic pollution menace in the country
Regulatory gaps and challenges
Despite Ghana’s signatories to international conventions on marine protection, and enactment of various environmental laws and regulations, enforcement remains one of the biggest challenges.
Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority, Fisheries Commission, and local assemblies who are tasked with managing pollution, struggle to discharge their enforcement duties due to inadequate funding, the lack of personnel, and poor community engagement among other issues.
Call to action
To achieve the SDG 14 and ensure the sustainability of Ghana’s fisheries, urgent interventions are needed. Some of these are:
Improved waste management at landing sites and coastal areas.
Promotion of plastic recycling initiatives to reduce ocean pollution.
Encouragement of eco-friendly packaging and alternatives to single-use plastics.
Government must implement and enforce stricter regulations on waste disposal, and plastic production.
Coastal communities, businesses, and industries should be encouraged to take responsibility for reducing their environmental footprints.
Conclusion
Pollution at Ghana’s coastal areas is more than just an environmental crisis. It is a direct threat to food security, public health, and the economic survival of coastal dwellers.
If pragmatic steps are not taken, the country risks not meeting its commitment to the SDG 14 and putting the future of its marine resources at great risk.
By promoting sustainable waste management, enforcing regulations and by-laws by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and involving local communities and the appropriate state actors on the environment and marine sector, the country can reduce marine pollution and ensure a more sustainable fishing industry for generations yet unborn.
By Emmanuel Gamson
Source: GNA
The post Chocked seas: Plastic pollution toll on SDG 14 and coastal livelihoods appeared first on Ghana Business News.
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