‘Tell me how to use it!’: The relation between cultural style and waste management: An ethnographic research in Tongo, Upper-East Region, Ghana

Ghana experiences difficulties with the current accumulation and circulation of waste. The most prevalent forms of waste are considered to be e-waste and solid household waste, specifically plastic. Closing the Loop (CtL) is a Dutch non profit oriented company which collects mobile phones in Ghana to subsequently be shipped to Antwerp for efficient recycling of precious metals. Globally, the resources of the precious metals are in a state of decline. CtL current operations in Ghana are proving to be ineffective; because of this they want to attain more knowledge through ethnographic research in order to improve their strategy of collecting old mobile phones. With this research I hope to expand their knowledge. In this research, the concepts of sustainable waste management and cultural style will be discussed. By doing this I will aim at explaining the relationship between cultural styles and waste management practices. The concept of collective action will also be taken into account...Show moreGhana experiences difficulties with the current accumulation and circulation of waste. The most prevalent forms of waste are considered to be e-waste and solid household waste, specifically plastic. Closing the Loop (CtL) is a Dutch non profit oriented company which collects mobile phones in Ghana to subsequently be shipped to Antwerp for efficient recycling of precious metals. Globally, the resources of the precious metals are in a state of decline. CtL current operations in Ghana are proving to be ineffective; because of this they want to attain more knowledge through ethnographic research in order to improve their strategy of collecting old mobile phones. With this research I hope to expand their knowledge. In this research, the concepts of sustainable waste management and cultural style will be discussed. By doing this I will aim at explaining the relationship between cultural styles and waste management practices. The concept of collective action will also be taken into account. Relating this to cultural style I hope to offer CtL insight in how they might inspire collective action with their strategy by focussing on improving asset-ownership. I will compare a formal waste management system with an informal waste management system on the local-level, with a focus on plastic waste. I will argue that rural and cosmopolitan cultural styles play an important part in how waste management is practiced (Ferguson, 1999). With this I will show that not considering the performative competence and enactment of cultural stylistic expression can result in waste management policies not being adopted. The data that is gathered with this research is based on a multi-sited ethnography in the village of Tongo and the provincial capital Bolgatanga, in the Upper-East region of Ghana. Main interest for conducting research were the operations of the formal waste management system of Zoomlion and the difference in stylistic expression between management and workers; and, the informal waste management system of The Saanema Movement and how they try to inspire community wide engagement.Show less

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‘Tell me how to use it!’: The relation between cultural style and waste management: An ethnographic research in Tongo, Upper-East Region, Ghana