Towards a controlled and holistic management of waste tyres in Ghana

Ghana faces serious environmental and health problems from waste tyres, which are often burned in the open or left to collect water and breed mosquitoes. This policy brief looks at safer and more sustainable ways to manage the country’s growing volumes of used tyres.

The report explores options such as upcycling tyres into furniture and playground equipment, recycling them into new materials, and using tyre-derived fuels in cement production. It also examines the rise of tyre pyrolysis plants, warning that without clear standards these can cause harmful emissions.

To move forward, the authors recommend stricter rules for tyre imports, better tyre care and collection practices, and stronger support for recycling and upcycling businesses. The brief provides a practical roadmap to turn waste tyres from an environmental hazard into a resource that supports Ghana’s circular economy.