Greenpeace Africa is calling on the Ghanaian government to ban the import of textile "dead waste," citing the ongoing influx of discarded clothing into the country's coastal areas. The organization made clear that this demand is not aimed at Ghana's second-hand clothing (mitumba) trade—which sustains many people's livelihoods—but rather at the practice of shipping unwanted, low-quality, and surplus clothing to African markets where it ultimately becomes waste.

Key Points

  • Greenpeace Africa called for a ban on textile "dead waste" imports after visiting Shatta Beach in Jamestown and Kantamanto, Accra's main second-hand clothing market.
  • The organization said its demand does not target the mitumba trade, but rather the flow of low-quality, surplus clothing entering Ghana under the guise of second-hand goods and ultimately becoming waste.
  • The organization also estimated that Ghana generates about 150,000 tonnes of e-waste annually through both legal and illegal channels, of which about 70,000 tonnes is generated locally.

Hellen Kahaso Dana, head of Greenpeace Africa's plastics project, said fashion brands must take greater responsibility for the environmental consequences of overproduction. She explained that when brands produce more clothing than the market demands, or manufacture poor-quality garments, a large portion may have little to no resale value and ends up in landfills, waterways, and coastal areas. She argued that Ghana and other African countries should not be treated as dumping grounds for textile waste under the name of second-hand clothing.

The call comes on the back of the organization's field visits to some of Ghana's coastal areas, including Shatta Beach in Jamestown and Kantamanto, Accra's main second-hand clothing market. Dana said conditions in the areas visited highlighted the scale of the problem and reinforced the organization's position on demanding stricter controls on textile waste entering Ghana. She noted that solving the problem requires fashion companies to reduce unnecessary production and improve the quality and durability of clothing, while exporters should also bear responsibility for the waste associated with the products they ship to African markets.

Beyond textile waste, Greenpeace Africa also expressed concern about Ghana's broader waste management challenges, particularly the growing volume of e-waste. The organization estimated that Ghana generates about 150,000 tonnes of e-waste annually through legal and illegal channels, of which about 70,000 tonnes is generated locally; households in Accra and Kumasi produce about 50,000 tonnes of waste; and 30,000 to 40,000 people in the Agbogbloshie area of Accra depend on e-waste recycling for their livelihoods. Dana stressed that e-waste exporters must be held responsible for the waste their products generate within Ghana.

Greenpeace Africa also advocated for accurate product labeling, effective buy-back systems, stricter enforcement, and better tracking mechanisms to ease the pressure on informal waste workers and the environment. The organization argued that stronger international cooperation is also needed to ensure that waste generated elsewhere is not simply shifted to countries whose waste management systems are already under strain.

Source: Greenpeace Africa calls for ban on textile 'dead waste' imports - Adomonline.com · Originally published on 2026-10-07