Characterization and Quantification of Litter on Selected Beaches in the Central Region of Ghana: Towards the Management and Proper Disposal of Solid Waste

Abstract

Ghana faces challenges with managing solid waste especially plastics, these waste moves through drains, blown by the wind or are directly deposited onto beaches which end in the seas. Litter in the seas causes harm to organisms living in there which may result in deaths. This study was carried out to characterize litter on the beach, litter landed by selected fishermen and selected household litter of some household directly adjacent some beaches in the central region of Ghana, namely Anomabo, Bakano and Moree for eight months. (October 2018 to June 2018). To achieve these objectives, a 10 x 100 m belt transect was surveyed along the three beaches to assess the volume, composition, diversity and sources of the litter. Litter was also collected from landings of selected beach seiners also to assess the volume, composition, diversity and source of litter. Household litter was also collected from 20 selected households for four weeks. Households were educated on segregation of waste and were each given 2 bins, one for organic waste and another for any other waste. 32,557 litter items were collected for the beach litter, of which plastics was found to be the most dominant forming 55% of the total litter load. 5,987 floating litter items was counted from selected fishermen, similar to findings from beach litter, plastics were found to be dominant with sachets water wrappers forming greater part of the plastics forming 86% of the total litter load. Bakano beach was found to have the highest litter load for beach litter whiles Moree was found to have the highest floating litter load. For household waste, it was realized that organic waste formed a majority of the litter collected. A social survey was also conducted within the same period to ascertain the perception of beach users on the beaches for the study. Majority of people interviewed believed that Ghana‟s beaches were dirty and litter load continues to increase. Respondents agreed to provide bins, education and punishments as means to mitigate the current situation.