Ghanaians can now drop off their broken phones, laptops, and other electronics at selected Melcom shopping malls across Accra, following the Environmental Protection Agency’s launch of an incentivized take-back system designed to reduce dangerous informal waste handling practices.
The initiative, launched to mark International E-Waste Day 2025, represents Ghana’s most ambitious effort yet to address a problem that’s been hiding in plain sight for years. Much of the country’s electronic waste has long been picked up by informal collectors who use methods like open burning and indiscriminate dumping, releasing toxic substances into the air, soil, and water.
EPA CEO Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse described the launch as the beginning of a national movement that teaches responsibility, inspires innovation, and creates green jobs for generations to come. But whether Ghanaians actually participate in large enough numbers to make a difference remains to be seen.
The first collection containers have been installed at three Melcom branches: North Industrial Area, Madina, and Spintex. Consumers can drop off batteries, small IT equipment, screens, small appliances, lamps, toner cartridges, capacitors, and cables. The EPA plans to expand to ten branded collection containers at major shopping and commercial centers across the capital.
The take-back system emerged from a 2023 study conducted by the E-Waste Project, a partnership between Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology and the German Development Cooperation through GIZ. That study analyzed the feasibility of more environmentally sound collection schemes and concluded that effective take-back systems are crucial for promoting environmental responsibility.
More importantly, the research recommended implementing an incentivized model. While officials haven’t specified exactly what incentives will be offered, the implication is clear: Ghanaians need motivation beyond environmental consciousness to change their disposal habits.
Project Manager Christiane Loquai from GIZ noted the system can demonstrate to consumers that even their broken electronics still have value while raising awareness about the dangers of improper disposal. This dual message matters because many people simply don’t realize old devices contain recoverable materials or pose environmental risks.
The E-Waste Project estimates approximately 105 tonnes of electronic waste could be collected in the first year if just 1 percent of Greater Accra’s population participates. That might sound modest, but it would represent a meaningful start toward formalizing what’s currently a chaotic, unregulated sector dominated by informal workers using unsafe practices.
All e-waste collected at drop-off points will be recycled or treated by permitted companies adhering to environmentally sound practices and observing work safety regulations. This contrasts sharply with current informal recycling operations where workers, including children, often extract valuable metals without protective equipment, exposing themselves to lead, mercury, and other hazardous substances.
The EPA, with World Bank support, is establishing modern collection, dismantling, and refurbishment centers in Accra, Koforidua, and Tamale to serve as regional hubs for repair, material recovery, and safe handling of hazardous components. These facilities represent critical infrastructure that Ghana has lacked despite years of acknowledging the e-waste problem.
MEST Chief Director Suweibatu Adam said the ministry’s policy direction aims to shift from a linear “take, produce, dispose” model to a circular economy where materials are reused, repaired, refurbished, and recycled to retain value. This shift aligns with Ghana’s Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework and international commitments under Sustainable Development Goals 12 and 13 covering responsible consumption and climate action.
The initiative addresses a problem that’s been building for decades. Population growth and rising prosperity in Ghana have boosted demand for household and consumer electronics, dramatically increasing the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment. Yet until recently, the country lacked both the regulatory framework and physical infrastructure to manage this waste stream properly.
Ghana has made progress on the policy front. Act 917 from 2016 and the current Environmental Protection Act 1124 from 2025 mandate environmentally sound management of e-waste and reinforce the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility, which includes importers and consumers of electronic goods. However, laws on paper mean little without enforcement mechanisms and practical systems for compliance.
That’s where the Melcom partnership becomes significant. By placing collection points in familiar retail locations where people already shop, the EPA reduces barriers to participation. Nobody has to search for some obscure government facility or wait for irregular collection days. The containers are simply there whenever someone replaces a phone or microwave.
For bulkier items like refrigerators and large appliances, the EPA introduced a free pickup option through the GH Waste App, available on both the App Store and Google Play. The app allows users to schedule pickups at their convenience and track the process in real time, bringing modern logistics thinking to waste management.
Professor Klutse emphasized that success depends on collective action, public education, and stakeholder collaboration, particularly with media outlets. This acknowledgment reflects reality: behavioral change campaigns rarely succeed without sustained public awareness efforts. Ghanaians need to understand why proper e-waste disposal matters and how simple it is to participate.
The pilot also represents a significant step toward formalizing an informal sector that currently provides livelihoods for thousands of workers despite its environmental and health costs. Rather than simply shutting down informal recycling operations, the government aims to integrate these workers into a regulated system with better safety standards and more sustainable practices.
MEST is developing Extended Producer Responsibility legislation to expand coverage beyond electrical and electronic equipment to include other product categories. This regulatory evolution recognizes that manufacturers and importers bear responsibility for products throughout their entire lifecycle, not just until the point of sale.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, through GIZ, has been supporting MEST and the EPA since 2016 in improving conditions for environmentally sustainable management and disposal of e-waste. The project provides technical support to recycling companies and assists scrap associations in transforming unregistered disposal sites into environmentally sound recycling centers.
GIZ’s involvement brings technical expertise and international best practices that Ghana can adapt to local conditions. The organization currently promotes sustainable development in Ghana through about 50 programs and projects covering energy and climate, training and sustainable growth for decent jobs, and peaceful and inclusive societies focusing on good governance.
The timing of this initiative matters. Ghana’s e-waste challenge won’t get easier as electronics become even more ubiquitous in daily life. Smartphones, tablets, and other devices have shorter replacement cycles than ever, creating a continuous stream of discarded equipment that needs proper handling.
Informal e-waste practices pose significant public health risks, particularly in areas like Agbogbloshie, which has gained international attention as one of the world’s largest e-waste dumping grounds. Workers there burn cables to extract copper and use other crude methods to recover valuable materials, creating toxic smoke and contaminating soil and groundwater.
The new take-back system offers an alternative pathway where electronics can be dismantled systematically, hazardous components removed safely, and valuable materials recovered through proper recycling processes. Whether enough Ghanaians choose this pathway instead of selling old devices to informal collectors remains the critical question.
Early adoption rates will determine whether the program expands nationwide or remains limited to Accra. If participation remains low, it suggests either inadequate incentives, insufficient public awareness, or competing convenience from informal collectors who come directly to homes.
Professor Klutse urged Ghanaians to become part of the solution by dropping off old electronics for responsible recycling rather than throwing them away or selling to informal collectors. This appeal to civic responsibility might resonate with environmentally conscious consumers, but reaching broader segments of the population likely requires tangible incentives beyond just doing the right thing.
The initiative joins a broader set of efforts to improve waste management across Ghana. However, e-waste presents unique challenges due to its toxic components, valuable recoverable materials, and the existence of established informal collection networks that provide immediate cash payments to sellers.
Success will require not just convenient collection points and public education, but also ensuring the formal system can compete economically with informal alternatives. If informal collectors pay more for old devices than the formal incentive system offers, many Ghanaians will rationally choose the informal option regardless of environmental consequences.
The EPA and its partners have built the infrastructure and regulatory framework. Now comes the harder part: changing behavior at scale across a population where many people prioritize immediate economic needs over environmental concerns. The 105 tonne first-year target, while modest, could prove whether Ghana’s approach to formalizing e-waste management can actually work.
