E-Waste: The Hazards Of Electronic Waste In Africa by DW Documentary
Geschreven op 27-8-2018 - Erik van Erne. Geplaatst in Afval
Much of Europe’s e-waste ends up on dumps in Africa. The social, environmental and health effects are devastating.
Electronic waste is big business for some, but a hazard to others. Computers, mobile phones, TVs and home appliances have become an intrinsic part of our daily high-tech lives, revolutionizing the way we interact, communicate and view the world.
Keeping up with the latest models and lifestyle products has firmly positioned us consumers as the driving force behind a runaway cycle of technological advancement.
But what exactly happens to our e-waste – our broken computer when we throw it away? Where does that old phone go when we upgrade? Much of this e-waste ends up in developing countries. In Ghana, for example, an entire e-waste recycling industry has emerged. Men, women and children toil at open fires, extracting valuable materials such as cobalt, coltan and copper from the e-waste.
Many get sick or die as a result of exposure to toxic fumes. From the US to Britain, Accra to Amsterdam, the e-waste documentary ‘E-Life’ investigates the social and environmental consequences of our electronic waste. The documentary also presents some innovative solutions for reducing e-waste at its source and recycling it more safely.
See also: Thailand Stopt Import Elektronisch Afval (E-Waste) Uit Buitenland – Nederland op Vijfde Plaats Ranglijst E-Waste – The World of E-Waste: Ghana Digital Dumping Ground – The World of Electronic Waste (E-Waste): Dangerous, Hazardous and Illegal – E-Waste Hell: A Mountain of E-Waste Dumped in Agblogbloshie, Accra, Ghana – The E-Waste Republic: A Web Documentary by Jacopo Ottaviani – Waste Crime – Waste Risks: Gaps in Meeting the Global Waste Challenge and E-Waste Dumping
Computer Recycling met Verplichte WEEELABEX Certificering – WEEELABEX-Certificaat Wettelijk Verplicht voor Bedrijven die E-Waste Verwerken – Slechts 30% van het E-Waste in Europa Wordt Goed Gerecycled
Erik van Erne zegt:
7 februari 2019 om 14:16 | Permalink
ToxiCity: life at Agbobloshie, the world’s largest e-waste dump in Ghana
E-waste, the term given to discarded electronic appliances, is often shipped by developed nations to poorer countries such as Ghana. RTD visits the country’s most infamous dumping ground, Agbogbloshie. Locals call it “Sodom and Gomorrah” after the infamous Biblical sin cities. Its air and soil are polluted with toxic chemicals, while extreme poverty, child labour and criminal gangs are also rife.