GMA urge ban on single-use plastics as food safety concerns grow

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has urged the government to expand its planned ban on styrofoam food containers to include single-use plastics, warning that the country's growing plastic waste problem is fuelling food contamination, disease outbreaks and mounting healthcare costs.

The country's largest professional body for doctors says eliminating both styrofoam and disposable plastic packaging would be a major step towards improving food safety and protecting public health.

Speaking at the GMA's 26th Annual Public Lecture in Koforidua, the association's President, Professor Ernest Yorke, said Ghana could not tackle food safety effectively while single-use plastics remained in widespread circulation.

"We believe that the ban must be expanded to include single-use plastics in order to achieve a comprehensive solution," he said.

The call comes as the government, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), begins phasing out styrofoam products used in food packaging as part of broader efforts to reduce plastic pollution.

Doctors link plastic packaging to health risks

Professor Yorke said unsafe food had become an increasing public health concern in Ghana, with contamination occurring at virtually every stage of the food chain from production and transportation to storage, preparation and consumption.

He warned that the continued use of styrofoam and disposable plastics for food packaging was contributing to unsafe food practices, exposing consumers to food-borne illnesses and increasing pressure on the country's healthcare system.

"Failure at any point along the food chain can have profound consequences for public health," he said.

According to the GMA, poor agricultural practices, contaminated irrigation water, indiscriminate chemical use, inadequate storage, interrupted cold-chain systems, poor hygiene during transportation and unsafe food handling all increase the risk of microbial and chemical contamination.

These challenges, Professor Yorke said, are common across many low- and middle-income countries, including Ghana.

Floods deepen food safety concerns

The association also linked recent flooding in Accra and other parts of the country to heightened food safety risks.

Professor Yorke said floodwaters frequently contaminate drinking water sources, markets, food preparation areas and storage facilities, while power outages disrupt refrigeration and cold-chain systems needed to preserve perishable foods.

Such conditions, he warned, create an environment for outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases and other food- and water-borne infections.

The remarks come after severe flooding in parts of Ghana renewed concerns over sanitation, waste management and the resilience of urban infrastructure during extreme weather events.

Call for broader reforms

While supporting the government's decision to phase out styrofoam, the GMA said the policy should be accompanied by affordable and sustainable alternatives for consumers and businesses.

The association also called for stronger enforcement of environmental regulations, improved waste collection and recycling systems, and sustained public education on safe food handling and environmental protection.

Professor Yorke said food safety should no longer be viewed solely as a matter of preventing contamination but also as part of a wider public health strategy addressing poor nutrition and chronic disease.

Nutrition experts warn of silent health crisis

Delivering the keynote lecture, public health nutritionist Professor Amos Laar of the University of Ghana said Ghana was facing a "nutrition transition" in which food insecurity now coexists with rising levels of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.

He argued that consumer protection should extend beyond food hygiene to include stronger regulation of ultra-processed foods and marketing practices that encourage unhealthy diets.

"Some unsafe foods cause harm immediately, while others cause harm silently over time," he said.

Health experts at the forum said improving food safety would require coordinated action by government agencies, food producers, businesses and consumers to strengthen regulation across the entire food supply chain.