Accra hit by refuse buildup as landfill capacity crisis deepens

The growing heaps of uncollected refuse in parts of Greater Accra may have less to do with delays by waste contractors and more to do with a critical shortage of places to dump the waste, according to the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA).

The explanation comes amid mounting complaints from residents and traders, particularly around the Kaneshie Market, where an overflowing refuse container has raised public health concerns.

Major sanitation crisis looms in Greater Accra

Speaking on JoyNews' Midday News on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Executive Secretary of ESPA, Ama Ofori Antwi, said waste management companies are increasingly struggling to dispose of collected refuse due to the limited number of operational landfill sites available in the Greater Accra area.

She explained that while the volume of waste generated daily continues to rise because of rapid urbanisation and population growth, the infrastructure required to handle that waste has not expanded at the same pace.

"Currently, as we speak, we are challenged with final disposal sites. That is one of the key issues. Infrastructure for dumping waste is a challenge for both the formal and informal operators," she explained.

According to her, the lack of nearby disposal facilities means waste collection trucks spend more time transporting refuse over long distances before they can return to communities for additional collection rounds.

Ofori Antwi disclosed that the only operational landfill sites currently serving waste contractors are located at Adepa and Tema.

"The landfills currently working are the ones at Adepa and Tema. If we take the whole of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, there are no landfill sites within GAMA for dumping waste," she said.

She noted that some waste trucks are forced to travel as far as 90 kilometres to dispose of refuse, a situation that increases operational costs and slows down collection schedules across the capital.

The challenge has been worsened by the rainy season, which has made access to some disposal sites more difficult due to deteriorating road conditions.

"Now that we are in the rainy season, accessibility is also a problem because the roads are not in the best condition," she noted.

The ESPA Executive Secretary is therefore calling for urgent investment in modern waste disposal infrastructure, particularly engineered landfill sites within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, to improve efficiency and prevent refuse from accumulating in communities.

NA/VPO