Some Polluting Effects of Small‐Scale Industrial Production in theCentral Region of Ghana

Abstract

Environmental impact assessments in developing countries are generally required for new large and medium-scale enterprises. However, a larger proportion of production takes place in the very small and micro-scale sector. This sector is characterised by low incomes and high levels of illiteracy among the operators, both of which limit awareness of the polluting effects of their activities. The paper examines the environmental impacts of small-scale alcohol distilleries in the rural areas of the Central region of Ghana. The distillers covered in the study lacked information about the pollution they caused and continued to discharge large volumes of stillage (hot wastewater) into adjoining streams which are important sources of drinking water supply in rural Ghana. The discharge of waste products from the distilleries polluted the streams with negative implications for aquatic life as well as human health. *US$1 = 2.75 cedis Source: West Africa Programmes Department, World Bank (1983).