It was designed to take about 500 tonnes of rubbish a day. After the Achimota landfill in Accra closed, waste trucks from across the capital began heading to Kpone, near Tema, and the daily load rose to around 2,000 tonnes. In August 2019, the overloaded site caught fire, and residents later said it was still smouldering months afterwards.
An engineered landfill
The Kpone landfill was built as an engineered facility, meaning it was designed with liners and systems to contain leachate, the toxic liquid produced by decomposing waste. It was funded under a World Bank-supported urban sanitation project and opened in 2013 to serve Tema and its surroundings.
Too much waste
Greater Accra produces thousands of tonnes of solid waste every day. When other disposal sites closed or filled, Kpone became the main destination for much of the region’s rubbish. The site filled far faster than planned.
The fire
In August 2019, a fire broke out at the landfill. Smoke spread over nearby communities in Kpone and Katamanso. Residents complained of breathing problems, and leachate was reported flowing into open drains.
Re-engineering
The government decided to decommission and re-engineer the site. The contract went to Zoomlion Ghana, and work began on 1 June 2020. The project involved closing and covering the waste, installing a system to collect landfill gas and restoring the land with trees and vegetation. The long-term plan was to turn the site into a recreational area.
Where waste goes now
With Kpone closed for re-engineering, the sanitation ministry secured land at Ayidan in the Ga South Municipality for a new engineered landfill. Accra also relies on transfer stations, recycling and composting facilities, though much waste still ends up in drains, open dumps and the sea.
The plastic problem
Plastic waste, including sachet water bags and food packaging, makes up a large share of Accra’s rubbish. It blocks drains, worsens flooding and pollutes beaches. Recycling businesses have grown, but they handle only part of the volume.
What residents can do
Sort waste where possible, separating plastics and bottles for recyclers. Pay for registered collection services rather than dumping or burning waste. Avoid putting rubbish into drains, which causes flooding in the rainy season.
A recurring crisis
Kpone is one chapter in a long story. Accra has repeatedly opened dumps, filled them and searched for new sites as the city grows.
A landfill is supposed to be where a city’s rubbish disappears. Kpone showed what happens when a city produces more than any single site can hide.
