Africa-Press – Ghana. As the world marks World Environment Day 2025 with the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution,” Ghana, like many coastal countries, is facing a silent emergency that threatens not just its marine ecosystems but the very survival of communities and the planet.
Marine plastic pollution is escalating, turning the ocean from a life source into a potential death trap. This problem is alarming along the coastline of Ghana, where tonnes of plastics are seen floating on the surface of the sea, with most beaches being taken over by marine litter, especially plastics.
The plastics are replacing fish stocks, endangering food security and livelihoods, as indicated in a report from the UN Environment Programme titled “From Pollution to Solution: A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution.”
The report reveals that plastic accounts for 85 per cent of all marine litter. It further revealed that by 2040, the figure will triple, churning out 23–37 million metric tonnes of waste into the ocean per year. “This means about 50kg of plastic per metre of coastline,” the report said.
In the eyes of a marine researcher
Mr. Jens Otto Krakstad, Senior Researcher with the Institute of Marine Research in Norway and cruise leader for the research vessel Dr Fridtjof Nansen, in 2024 revealed that plastic is now a constant presence in the marine waters of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
Mr. Krakstad led a team of researchers on the vessel Nansen to carry out marine research in Ghana’s and Côte d’Ivoire’s waters, stressing that, “there is a clear need to do something about the pollution of plastics; we see the plastic is almost everywhere in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. We are catching it in almost every tour, and it is certainly a big problem for the whole region, not just for Ghana.”
He said: “When I first came here in 2004, there was already a lot of plastic debris in the catches.
“Over time, this problem has increased significantly,” revealing that the plastic comes from both land and sea – respectively washed into the ocean from poor waste disposal systems and dumped directly by vessels whose crews flout maritime regulations.
Why the ocean matters to human survival
According to the United Nations (UN), the ocean covers over 70 per cent of the planet. It is humans’ life source, supporting humanity’s sustenance and that of every other organism on earth.
The ocean, the UN noted, produces at least 50 per cent of the planet’s oxygen, is home to most of Earth’s biodiversity, and is the main source of protein for more than a billion people around the world. It is also key for economies with an estimated 40 million people being employed by ocean-based industries by 2030.
The ocean also absorbs about 30 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions and regulates the planet’s climate, while its biodiversity supports the food chain and medicine, among other things.
With the ocean acting as a global food source, particularly for coastal populations like Ghana, the health risks cannot be ignored.
With all these benefits, when the ocean is polluted, its ability to perform these life-sustaining functions will be compromised. Plastic pollution reduces the productivity of marine ecosystems and threatens species that maintain the delicate balance of ocean life.
The cost of plastic pollution
The concern of plastic pollution in the ocean stretches far beyond marine species and fishermen. Plastics in the ocean pose a direct threat to human health and survival.
According to fish scientists, as plastics break down into microplastics, they are ingested by fish and shellfish and eventually make their way into human food chains. Studies worldwide have already found microplastics in salt, drinking water, and even in human blood and lungs.
Researchers have found the toxic chemicals used in plastic manufacturing, such as BPA, phthalates, and flame retardants, being linked to cancer, hormonal imbalances, and reproductive disorders, among others.
According to Seas At Risk, an association of environmental organisations from across Europe, “Degrading macro plastics release greenhouse gases, thus contributing to climate change in complex ways.
“Sea surface plastic degradation alone has been estimated to release 76 metric tonnes of methane annually worldwide. Methane is 36 times more potent than CO2 in producing greenhouse effects, and it directly contributes to climate change.”
It added that “microplastic pollution directly hinders the ocean’s climate mitigation power by interfering with the flow of carbon in the ocean. That “biological carbon pump” sees microscopic plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton) capture carbon on the ocean surface and transport it into the deep ocean, preventing it from re-entering the atmosphere. Laboratory experiments suggest that phytoplankton contaminated with microplastics are less able to fix carbon through photosynthesis. Similarly, contaminated zooplankton have lower metabolic rates, reproductive success, and survival rates.”
In Ghana, where thousands depend on fishing for income and nutrition, plastic pollution is also a socioeconomic issue. Fisherfolk now spend more time disentangling plastic waste from nets than harvesting fish. Some even incur costs to repair gear damaged by debris, deepening poverty in vulnerable coastal communities.
As the world is celebrating World Environment Day, and World Oceans Day approaches (celebrated annually on June 08), plastic pollution must be tackled with a concerted effort from all stakeholders. Indeed, this is also in line with the “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us” theme for World Oceans Day 2025.
The ocean sustains us. Protecting it is not just an environmental duty; it is a fight for our survival.
The way forward
To collectively achieve this aim, there is a need to enforce maritime regulations against illegal dumping of waste into the ocean, both from land and from vessel crews at sea.
We must also stop paying lip service to waste management and invest in waste collection and recycling infrastructure. National campaigns to reduce single-use plastics must also be intensified while encouraging sustainable ocean use through education and policies.
Allowing the ocean and our seas to suffocate under the weight of plastics means there will be no food security, no clean air to breathe, and no future for humanity, as there is no climate stability without healthy oceans.
Source: Ghana News Agency
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