Engineering solutions for reducing open dumping and illegal waste disposal in Ghana

• Identifies drivers of illegal dumping through mixed-methods field research. • Proposes GIS and AI-based tools for smart waste monitoring and collection. • Introduces community-level composting and plastic-to-brick conversion models. • Highlights gaps in enforcement, affordability, and public awareness in Ghana. • Presents scalable, engineering-informed solutions tailored to urban West Africa. Rapid urbanization in Ghana has intensified the challenges associated with municipal solid waste management, particularly in relation to open dumping and illegal disposal practices. This study investigates the drivers, patterns, and spatial distribution of informal waste disposal across six municipalities, across Accra and Kumasi, using a mixed-methods approach that integrates household surveys (n = 600), key informant interviews, and machine learning-based route optimization. Results reveal that over 60 % of households resort to informal dumping due to limited-service coverage, high collection costs, and socio-cultural perceptions of waste. The waste stream is predominantly organic, with compostable materials accounting for over 70 % of total waste generated. Engineering-oriented interventions such as community-scale composting, AI-enhanced collection routing, and participatory monitoring using geolocation tools are proposed to address these systemic inefficiencies. The findings underscore the need for decentralized, context-sensitive, and technology-supported waste governance models. Policy recommendations are offered to align local practices with circular economy principles and improve environmental health outcomes.