Solid waste management and health in Accra, Ghana

Overview

Accra is a city that has grown enormously in the last decades. According to the most recent census (2010), the total population of Greater Accra is approximately 4 million, with approximately 1 850 000 inhabitants living in urban Accra.

The main goal of the study is to inform local air quality and climate change policies. To achieve this, the study:

• investigated the framework of SWM in Accra;

• assessed the contribution of urban SWM activities to local air pollution and climate change by estimating the quantity of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) emitted using the Solid Waste Emissions Estimation Tool (SWEET); and

• produced estimates on the health impacts directly related to current and potential SWM activities.