The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has urged food vendors, households, schools and traders to stop using Styrofoam takeaway packs now, ahead of Ghana’s nationwide ban on the products from January 1, 2027.
EPA Chief Executive Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse made the call in Damongo, Savannah Region, on Monday, October 26, 2026, encouraging Ghanaians to return to traditional packaging such as plantain leaves where suitable.
The appeal came as the EPA opened a week-long public education campaign across Ghana’s five northern regions, running from October 26 to November 1, 2026. The deadline is now about 66 days away.
The ban covers the production, importation, sale and use of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam products. The policy traces back to President John Dramani Mahama’s announcement at the 2025 World Environment Day celebrations, and the EPA formally announced the January 2027 start date in May 2026.
EPA CEO calls for early switch from Styrofoam takeaway packs
Speaking at the Damongo event, Prof. Klutse said demand for alternatives makes it important for consumers and businesses to begin adjusting their practices before the enforcement deadline.
She described the fight against Styrofoam waste as a shared responsibility, saying “this is something we should commit to.”
At the launch of the northern campaign, she also warned that ignorance will not be accepted as a defence. “No one should have the excuse that they were not aware of this ban. There will be no excuses by January 2027,” she said, as reported by GBC.
Savannah Region vows to enforce Styrofoam ban
Savannah Regional Minister Salisu Be-Awuribe said the region is committed to enforcing the ban in all seven of its Municipal and District Assemblies.
He warned that producing, importing, distributing, selling or using prohibited Styrofoam products would “no longer be tolerated” after the deadline. “The time has come for us to act,” he said.
According to the Minister, enforcement will involve the Regional Coordinating Council, the assemblies, the EPA, the Ghana Police Service and customs officers at checkpoints.
EPA Savannah Regional Director Dr. Abu Iddrisu said Styrofoam waste pollutes land and water and harms communities, linking the ban to the government’s “Reset agenda.”
Styrofoam ban campaign schedule in northern Ghana
The EPA’s education drive has already covered Accra and Kumasi, with campaigns held in July and August 2026. The northern leg includes:
- Campaign period: October 26 to November 1, 2026
- Regions covered: Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Savannah and North East
- Mini-durbars: Communities including Damongo, Bolgatanga, Nalerigu and Wa
- Main event: Tamale, October 29, 2026
- Schools: An inter-school environmental quiz for five Tamale-area senior high schools and a “Beyond the Ban” debate between UDS and Bagabaga College of Education
The Savannah Regional Coordinating Council will also run its own education and clean-up campaign from October to December 2026, targeting chop bars, restaurants, hotels, shops, schools and lorry stations.
Which Styrofoam products are banned in Ghana?
According to the EPA’s directive, reported by the Ghana News Agency, the ban applies to all forms of expanded polystyrene foam used for commercial or domestic purposes, including:
- Food packaging containers and takeaway packs
- Disposable cups and plates
- Foam packs used by restaurants and food vendors
- Ceiling and insulation materials
- Foam mattresses and bedding
- Packaging and cushioning materials
EPS products used strictly for medical, scientific, laboratory and diagnostic purposes are exempt, subject to approval by the relevant regulators. GhanaTrends first reported the ban when the EPA announced that Styrofoam and takeaway packs would be banned from January 2027.
What it means for food vendors and consumers
Chop bar operators, waakye and rice sellers, restaurants and other food vendors who rely on foam packs will need new packaging before January. The EPA has named several alternatives:
- Paper-based packaging
- Recycled aluminium foil
- Recyclable plastic containers
- Packaging made from bamboo, rice husks or coconut fibre
- Reusable bowls and containers
- Traditional wrappers such as plantain leaves
For traders and importers, the EPA has said no new orders for Styrofoam products should be placed. Its Deputy CEO for Operations, Prof. Michael Ayamga-Adongo, has warned that consignments arriving after the deadline will be confiscated and offenders will face legal action.
Officials have not yet published specific fine amounts.
What happens next
The northern campaign climaxes in Tamale on October 29 before ending on November 1. Enforcement of the nationwide ban begins on January 1, 2027, and the EPA has said there will be no further extension.
The EPA has also described the Styrofoam ban as the first phase of a wider plan to phase out non-biodegradable single-use plastics. It has not yet said which products later phases will cover or when they will start.
Summary – Styrofoam Ban Starts January 1, 2027: EPA CEO Urges Return to Plantain Leaves as Northern Campaign Begins
- Ghana’s Styrofoam ban takes effect on January 1, 2027, with no further extension.
- It covers production, importation, sale and use of expanded polystyrene foam products.
- EPA CEO Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse urged an early switch, including to plantain leaves.
- The EPA’s northern campaign runs from October 26 to November 1, 2026, with the main event in Tamale on October 29.
- Imports arriving after the deadline will be confiscated, the EPA says.
- Medical, scientific and laboratory EPS products are exempt.
- The ban is the first phase of a wider single-use plastics phase-out.
FAQs – Styrofoam Ban Starts January 1, 2027: EPA CEO Urges Return to Plantain Leaves as Northern Campaign Begins
When does the Styrofoam ban start in Ghana?
The nationwide ban on Styrofoam products takes effect on January 1, 2027. The EPA says the date will not be extended.
What can food vendors use instead of Styrofoam takeaway packs?
The EPA recommends paper packaging, recycled aluminium foil, recyclable plastic containers, bamboo or rice-husk packaging, reusable bowls, and traditional wrappers like plantain leaves.
What happens if you sell or import Styrofoam after January 2027?
The EPA says consignments arriving after the deadline will be confiscated and offenders will face legal action. Specific fines have not yet been announced.
With about nine weeks left before the January 1, 2027 deadline, the EPA is taking its Styrofoam ban message to northern Ghana and urging vendors and households to switch early, with officials in the Savannah Region promising strict enforcement once the ban begins.
