Exploring the Interconnection Between Solid Waste Pollution and Poverty in Ghana: Challenges, Socioeconomic Impacts, and Policy Recommendations

Master's Thesis from the year 2025 in the subject Environmental Sciences - Climate and environmental protection, grade: A, University of Ghana, Legon (Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College), course: Master of Science in Defence and International Politics, language: English, abstract: This study examines the interconnection between solid waste pollution and poverty in Ghana’s urban centers, with a focus on Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale. Guided by Environmental Justice, Circular Economy, Systems Thinking, and Informal Economy theories, the research explores how poor waste management exacerbates health risks, economic hardship, and social exclusion for low-income communities. Using qualitative methods and thematic analysis, the study finds that informal settlements endure recurring outbreaks of malaria, cholera, and respiratory illnesses due to uncollected waste and open dumping. Informal waste workers, who play a crucial role in environmental cleanup, face stigma, unsafe working conditions, and a lack of legal recognition. The research further highlights institutional fragmentation, weak enforcement, and underfunded municipal services as key barriers to effective waste governance. To address these challenges, the dissertation proposes a set of policy recommendations: (1) decentralizing waste management to empower local authorities; (2) formally integrating informal waste workers into national sanitation frameworks; (3) investing in community infrastructure and recycling facilities; (4) enforcing a national ban on single-use plastics; and (5) launching public education campaigns and participatory planning models to ensure inclusive and sustainable urban sanitation. These interventions aim to reduce environmental hazards and break cycles of urban poverty simultaneously.