A senior United Nations official visited Afienya in the Greater Accra Region to inspect a battery recycling plant and assess its safety measures. Abdullas Fadil, Global Director of the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future, led the visit to Recyclers Ghana Limited as part of his country mission to Ghana. The tour was organised alongside UNICEF Ghana and facilitated by the Department of Factories Inspectorate.
The company processes used lead-acid batteries, and the inspection aimed to determine if the plant is exposing nearby children to lead pollution. Fadil stated that the facility's infrastructure and safety measures met required standards, but there is room for improvement to protect human health and the environment. The Partnership for a Lead-Free Future seeks to ensure that ordinary people, particularly children, are not exposed to lead through everyday sources.
Children absorb lead at four to five times the rate of adults, affecting their cognitive development, making UNICEF's involvement a priority. Fadil noted that legislation, regulatory capacity-building, and proper resourcing of enforcement agencies are necessary internationally. He suggested that Ghana's Parliament could play a role in strengthening the country's response to lead exposure.
Piyush Makwana, Country Manager of Recyclers Ghana Limited, explained that the company buys used lead-acid batteries, extracts the lead, and exports it to the United States and Turkey. The plastic casings are melted down and sold to manufacturers who produce plastic chairs. Makwana stated that the company's infrastructure and safety processes are supervised by regulators, and its workforce is regularly tested for lead levels.
Samuel Adjetey Boye, Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories, renewed calls for Parliament to pass the proposed Occupational Safety and Health Bill. He argued that the existing Factories, Offices and Shops Act of 1970 is outdated and that the Inspectorate lacks adequate resources to monitor factories nationwide. The bill aims to strengthen occupational safety and health regulations.
Ghana's used-battery trade has expanded with rising vehicle ownership and informal scrap collection, raising concerns about lead exposure for workers and communities living near recycling sites. The visit to Recyclers Ghana Limited was the first known inspection of its kind, and no timeline has been given for the promised national lead exposure surveys or when Parliament might take up the Occupational Safety and Health Bill.
The national representative survey on lead exposure is expected to identify the main sources of lead exposure in Ghana. Two rounds of the survey are anticipated soon. The Partnership for a Lead-Free Future and UNICEF Ghana will continue to work together to address lead exposure and promote a safer environment for children and communities.
Key points
- The Partnership for a Lead-Free Future and UNICEF Ghana inspected Recyclers Ghana Limited to assess its safety measures and potential lead pollution.
- The inspection found that the facility's infrastructure and safety measures met required standards, but there is room for improvement.
- Ghana's Parliament is expected to play a role in strengthening the country's response to lead exposure through legislation and regulatory capacity-building.
