5 myths about recycling in Ghana, debunked

WasteCure Team15 February 20245 min readEducation

There are many misconceptions about recycling in Ghana. These myths can discourage people from participating, even when they want to do the right thing. Let us address five of the most common ones.

Myth 1: Recycling does not actually happen in Ghana

This is the most common misconception. In reality, properly sorted plastic has real value to recyclers. Ghana has several plastic recycling companies that process PET, HDPE and other plastics into pellets, which are then used to make new products. WasteCure channels collected plastic to these off-takers. The key is sorting: mixed, dirty plastic is hard to recycle; clean, sorted plastic is in demand.

Myth 2: One person's recycling will not matter

It does. A single household can divert hundreds of bottles per month. Multiplied across a community, the impact is enormous. According to the EPA, recycling one tonne of plastic saves approximately 5,774 kWh of energy, 16.3 barrels of oil, and 30 cubic yards of landfill space. Every kilogram counts.

Myth 3: Rinsing plastic is a waste of water

A quick rinse with used water is enough. Clean plastic is far more likely to be accepted by recyclers, so this small step makes the whole system work. You do not need to use fresh drinking water; the water from washing dishes or vegetables works fine.

Myth 4: All plastic is the same

It is not. PET (code 1), HDPE (code 2), and LDPE (code 4) are processed differently, which is why sorting matters. Mixing them reduces their value and recyclability. This is why WasteCure asks households to sort by type. The resin code is stamped on the bottom of most plastic containers.

Myth 5: Recycling is the only solution

Recycling is important, but reducing and reusing come first. The less plastic we use in the first place, the less we need to recycle. The waste hierarchy, as defined by the EU Waste Framework Directive, prioritises prevention, then reuse, then recycling, then recovery, and finally disposal. WasteCure promotes all three: reduce, reuse, recycle.