Healthy Seas and Chaint Afrique Lead a Successful Cleanup at Ghana's Most Polluted Estuary

On September 20, 2024, Healthy Seas, in partnership with Chaint Afrique, took decisive action to address plastic pollution in one of Ghana’s most polluted estuaries—the Winneba Estuary of the River Ayensu. The event, part of the larger World Cleanup Day initiative, gathered around 100 dedicated volunteers at the Gye Nyame Grand Beach Resort, all united in a common cause: to clean up the coastal environment and inspire positive change.

The Ayensu River, notorious for discharging 270 tons of plastic waste into the ocean annually, was the focus of this effort, making the cleanup not only a local necessity but a global responsibility.

Coordinated Efforts: Teamwork and Community Involvement

To ensure the efficiency of the cleanup, volunteers were divided into three teams:

• Waste Collection Group: Focused on picking up litter along the beach.
• Waste Sorting Group: Tasked with sorting and categorizing the waste on-site.
• Waste Transport Group: Responsible for transporting the collected waste to designated disposal areas.

Meanwhile, another team led by NPAP Ghana (National Plastic Action Partnership) mobilized volunteers in Accra, where they tackled the Accra Bus Stop and engaged in a community cleanup.

Key Results and Community Impact

Through the collective efforts in Winneba, the team successfully removed 1 ton of waste, including 100 kg of recycled PET bottles. The cleanup was a temporary yet significant reduction of marine litter on the beach, though more plastic waste continued to wash ashore, underscoring the ongoing need for sustained efforts.

One of the most heartwarming moments occurred during an encounter with a local fishing community. Despite a lack of catch that day, their spirits remained high. In a show of solidarity, the team there surprised the fishermen with donuts, lifting their morale and  inspiring them to join our cleanup efforts. Their involvement not only boosted the success of the event but also strengthened the bond between the team and the local community—a reminder of the power of small acts of kindness.

Expanding the Movement

This cleanup is just the beginning. Chaint Afrique is already planning to return to the Winneba Estuary in January 2025, with a larger team of 300 volunteers to clean the entire 5km stretch of the estuary, from the mouth to the 400-canoe fishing community.

In Accra, 100 people joined the cleanup, with another 250 volunteers taking part in a Brand Audit led by DoitGhana at Lacomba Beach on September 21st.

Looking Ahead

The collaboration between Healthy Seas, Chaint Afrique, and local partners continues to show the power of community-driven environmental efforts. With the commitment of local volunteers and organizations like Zoomlion managing waste disposal, this project has left a lasting impact on the region, and we’re excited to see the next steps in our journey toward a cleaner, healthier ocean ecosystem.

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Chaint Afrique’s Project Netcycle Africa aims to create a network of pan-African blue economy actors actively reducing the impact of ALDFG (abandoned, lost or other discarded fishing gear) through education and collection of waste fishnets while linking blue economy actors to the Chaint Afrique network of collaborators in the global recycling market for waste fishnets. This new collaboration aimed to deepen fishermen’s understanding of ghost nets, emphasizing the importance of their recovery and the potential for recycling them into new products.