Electronics waste in industrialized countries is growing three times faster than regular waste – the result of the fast pace of technological innovation and the consequent short life of many electronic products.

From Europe to Ghana

Up to 50 million tonnes of e-waste containing hazardous substances such as lead, cadmium and mercury are generated worldwide every year. A vast amount of the European e-waste is exported to developing countries such as Ghana, a major hub for European e-waste. This causes pollution and health problems because the country has no adequate infrastructure to deal with the hazardous waste.

Dangerous scrap-work

For a small part of the population, the import of used electronics is a lucrative business, but for the majority of the people involved in the e-waste industry it is a matter of survival. Thousands of people are working in the informal waste industry in Ghana, where children constitute around 40% of scrap workers.

Studies show that health-damaging exposure to e-waste can result in long-term, often irreversible effects, such as infertility, miscarriage, tumors, endocrine diseases and birth defects. The workers often suffer from cuts, coughs, headaches, upper respiratory problems, rashes and burns.

Weak waste system

Although the authorities in Ghana have been aware of the problem and its alarming scale for many years, little has been done to solve it. The only visible initiative is the City Waste Recycling scheme, but with only three employees it cannot compete with the informal scrap dealing industry.

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