Poisoning the poor - Electronic waste in Ghana
The ever-growing demand for the latest fashionable mobile phone, flat screen TV or super-fast computer creates ever larger amounts of obsolete electronics that are often laden with toxic chemicals like lead, mercury and brominated flame retardants. Rather than being safely recycled, much of this e-waste gets dumped in developing countries. Previously, we have exposed pollution from e-waste scrap yards in China and India. Nigeria has also been identified as a dumping ground for old electronics.
During our investigation into the shady e-waste trade, we uncovered evidence that e-waste is being exported, often illegally, to Ghana from Europe and the US. We visited Ghana to investigate workplace contamination from e-waste recycling and disposal in the country.
In the yards, unprotected workers, many of them children, dismantle computers and TVs with little more then stones in search of metals that can be sold. The remaining plastic, cables and casing is either burnt or simply dumped.
Related
SA's solar boom poses new environmental threat: What to do with your old Li-ion batteries 5 Feb 2025 EPR free riders beware - regulator to strengthen enforcement against non-compliance 24 Oct 2024 Massmart expands SA’s retail e-waste recycling drive 14 Oct 2024 ERA's E-waste Day campaign is back to encourage recycling of electronics 10 Oct 2024 How proper e-waste management can financially benefit your company 7 Oct 2024 Pick n Pay e-waste initiative unlocks job creation for people with disabilities 23 Aug 2024