The Director of Human Settlements at the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Hope Smith Lomotey, has defended the government’s decision to ban Styrofoam takeaway packs, warning that the containers release harmful chemicals when they come into contact with hot, oily, or acidic foods, posing significant risks to public health.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Friday, June 26, Mr. Lomotey said the decision was driven by mounting evidence of the dangers associated with polystyrene products, stressing that the country had reached a point where the environmental and health consequences could no longer be ignored.
According to him, the ban is not intended to eliminate takeaway packaging altogether but rather to encourage the adoption of safer and more environmentally friendly alternatives that perform the same function without endangering human health or the environment.
Mr. Lomotey dismissed suggestions that the move was merely precautionary, insisting the health risks associated with Styrofoam have persisted for years and now warrant urgent action.
He explained that polystyrene containers become particularly hazardous when they are used to package hot meals such as kenkey and instant noodles, as well as oily foods like shito and acidic foods, including citrus fruits and fruit juices.
“If anytime heat gets in contact with this styrofoam, it releases chemicals that are harmful to the human being. Immediately oily foods get in contact with it, it releases these toxins, and acidic foods also cause it to release a lot of toxins that are not good for our health,” he warned.
Beyond the health implications, the EPA official noted that Styrofoam waste has become a major environmental challenge, clogging drains, polluting beaches and the sea, and affecting fishing activities.
“For human health, it’s not safe. Public health is not safe. Environmentally, we are seeing it in our drains and in the sea. Our fishermen go to sea and harvest some of these plastics and styrofoam. I think we have all reached a point that we have agreed that enough of the problem is enough,” he added.
The EPA has announced that the nationwide ban on the production, importation, distribution, sale and use of polystyrene foam products, popularly known as Styrofoam takeaway packs, will take effect from January 1, 2027, as part of efforts to protect public health and reduce plastic pollution.
