Structured identification of response options to address environmental health risks at the Agbogbloshie electronic waste site

Abstract

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing problem across low- and middle-income countries. Agbogbloshie (Accra, Ghana) is among the world's largest and most notorious e-waste sites, with an increasing number of studies documenting a range of environmental health risks. The present study aimed to provide national, regional, and international stakeholders with a summary of expert opinion on the most pressing problems arising from e-waste activities at Agbogbloshie, as well as suggested solutions to address these problems. Structured interviews were performed between April and September 2015 that used a Logical Framework Approach as a scoping exercise to gauge problems and benefits of e-waste recycling, and the Delphi methodology to identify response options. Stakeholders (n = 19) from 15 institutions were interviewed with 2 rounds of a Delphi Poll: open-ended interviews followed by an electronic questionnaire in which experts ranked various proposed response options based on health, environmental, social, and economic benefit and feasibility. The goal was to prioritize potential interventions that would address identified problems at Agbogbloshie. Experts identified the most beneficial and feasible options in decreasing rank order as follows and prefaced by the statement "it is recommended that": 1) there be further research on the health effects; 2) e-waste workers be given appropriate personal protective equipment; 3) the Ministry of the Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation re-visit Ghana's Hazardous Waste Bill; 4) e-waste workers be involved in the planning process of interventions and are be kept informed of any results; and 5) there be increased education and sensitization on hazards related to e-waste for both workers and the general public. These solutions are discussed in relation to ongoing dialogue at the international level concerning e-waste recycling interventions, with strengths and weaknesses examined for the Ghanaian context. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:980-991. ©2017 SETAC.

Effects of Electronic and Electrical Waste–Contaminated Soils on Growth and Reproduction of Earthworm (Alma nilotica)

“…E‐waste products may include electronic items (e.g., refrigerators, air conditioners, dry cleaning machines, televisions, radios, cell phones, MP3 players, and computers) that are discarded due to obsolescence and/or partial or complete inoperability (Baldé et al, 2017; Forti et al, 2020). Most (80%) of the e‐waste generated worldwide is handled by the informal work sector (sector that is not taxed or monitored by the government in respect to environmental safety policies), and much of this work occurs in low‐ and middle‐income countries where legal and policy frameworks are not enforced or do not exist (Cazabon et al, 2017; Forti et al, 2020). Informal recycling of e‐waste tends to release enormous amounts of pollutants such as metals and organo‐halogenated compounds into the soil environment near recycling activities (Houessionon et al, 2021; Luo et al, 2009).…”

Knowledge, Practices, and Environmental and Occupational Health Risks Associated with Electronic Waste Recycling in Cotonou, Benin

“…There are a handful of studies concerning occupational health and environmental risks among e-waste recyclers across Africa, mainly from Ghana [16] [17] [18] and Nigeria [13] [19] [20]. These studies emphasize potential prevention and intervention strategies [21].…”

Using elemental analyses and multivariate statistics to identify the off-site dispersion from informal e-waste processing

“…The methods of recovery employed in Ghana are relatively simple (the burning off of plastics to release the metals) and may lead to significant atmospheric contamination. Health studies 5 also indicate that the burners may be exposed to dioxins, mercury and heavy metals.…”