Assessing data in the informal e-waste sector: The Agbogbloshie Scrapyard

Owusu-Sekyere, Karoline; Batteiger, Alexander; Afoblikame, Richard; Hafner, Gerold; Kranert, Martin

doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2021.12.026

Cited by 27 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…The situation in Ghana may not be different from other developing countries where large volumes of e-waste are generated annually. The amount of e-waste generated in Ghana has been estimated to be around 52,000 tonnes annually (Owusu-Sekyere et al, 2022) and expected to increase in future. Several strategies have been adopted in handling e-waste in Ghana; these include open burning, dumping e-waste alongside other solid waste at landfill sites, repairing them for reuse and/or selling to scrap dealers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electronic waste control and management in Ghana: A critical assessment of the law, perceptions and practices

Owusu-Twum¹,

Kumi-Amoah²,

Heve³

et al. 2022

Waste Manag Res

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The aim of the study was to assess the impact of Ghana’s hazardous and e-waste control and management Act 917 of 2016 on current e-waste management practices and the level of awareness among key stakeholders (general public, repairers, wholesalers/retailers, recyclers and importers of electronic items) in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and examined in this study. Results showed a low level (12%) of awareness among stakeholders on the e-waste legislation. Almost 13% of respondents had been educated on e-waste management. Community engagement and the mass media were the main sources of information on e-waste. Significant associations between background information of respondents and awareness level on ‘Ghana’s Act 917’ were observed. Relative to general e-waste issues, only education and stakeholder showed significant associations with e-waste legislation and management. The main e-waste disposal methods adopted by respondents were disposal at dumpsites (22.7%), repair and reuse (21.1%) and reselling (20.1%). Almost 10% of respondents made changes to their e-waste disposal practices over the past 5 years. These changes were mainly due to the economic benefits derived from reselling e-waste (37.6%) and the perceived adverse impacts of e-waste on the environment (23.9%). Overall, there is the need to intensify awareness on ‘Ghana’s Act 917’, especially issues regarding sustainable e-waste management practices.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electronic waste control and management in Ghana: A critical assessment of the law, perceptions and practices

Owusu-Twum¹,

Kumi-Amoah²,

Heve³

et al. 2022

Waste Manag Res

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“…landfills), waste pickers are forced to diversify their income stream by collecting a variety of recyclables. This is not a necessity in areas with a steady stream of 65 Despite informal workers being recognised as playing a vital role in the recovery of recyclables, as an occupation, waste picking is not officially recognised. 54 Informal work does not have the protections afforded those in formal employment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The myth of livelihoods through urban mining: The case of e-waste pickers in Cape Town

et al. 2022

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Waste pickers are widely acknowledged as an integral part of the formal and informal economy, diverting waste into the secondary resource economy through urban mining. Urban mining in itself is considered to be a source of livelihoods. We investigated the livelihoods of e-waste pickers through 110 surveys in Cape Town, South Africa. Waste pickers often indicated that they were engaged in the sector not by choice but by necessity, expressing that earning money is the only enjoyable aspect of their job. The results from the study substantiate that it is unlikely that waste pickers could survive on e-waste picking alone as 83.3% of reported incomes were below minimum wage, with 22.9% below the food poverty line. Thus, the majority of waste pickers collected a wide array of recyclables. We also found that the waste pickers in Cape Town engage in multiple e-waste related activities, including collection, dismantling and processing to a lesser extent. They work long hours in arduous working conditions which present multiple hazards for their health and safety. Ultimately, e-waste pickers’ incomes cannot be considered commensurate with the nature of the work. Further, e-waste picking cannot be regarded to significantly contribute to livelihoods, but is rather a survivalist strategy. The survivalist nature of the work does not allow for waste pickers to move upwards in the waste value chain and benefit from greater income opportunities. Furthermore, their lack of skills prohibits waste pickers’ transition to formal employment. With a lack of options, it is necessary to ensure that the waste sector provides opportunities for decent work to enable workers to lift themselves out of poverty.

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“…Described as an area with multicultural inhabitants, workers of Agbogbloshie and others who conduct business there are predominantly people from the northern regions of Ghana [1,9,11,14] and other African countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Togo [1,14]. Agbogbloshie, which is located in the central business district along the banks of the Korle lagoon in Accra, is Ghana's largest informal e-waste processing and recycling site [26].…”

Section: History Of Agbogbloshiementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The site, known as Agbogbloshie, served as an integral recycling site for e-waste, received media scrutiny due to the harmful health and safety conditions of the site, and was ranked among the world's top ten most toxic threats [12,13]. While the Agbogbloshie scrapyard was demolished by the government in Ghana in July 2021 [14,15], several new informal e-waste recycling sites similar to the abolished Agbogbloshie are appearing throughout Accra and nearby cities [16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Injustice and Electronic Waste in Ghana: Challenges and Recommendations

Njoku,

Agbalenyo,

Laude

et al. 2023

IJERPH

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Electronic waste (e-waste) or discarded electronic devices that are unwanted, not working, or have reached their end of life pose significant threats to human and environmental health. This is a major concern in Africa, where the majority of e-waste is discarded. In the year 2021, an estimated 57.4 million metric tons of e-waste were generated worldwide. Globally, COVID-19 lockdowns have contributed to increased e-waste generation. Although Africa generates the least of this waste, the continent has been the dumping ground for e-waste from the developed world. The flow of hazardous waste from the prosperous ‘Global North’ to the impoverished ‘Global South’ is termed “toxic colonialism”. Agbogbloshie, Ghana, an e-waste hub where about 39% of e-waste was treated, was listed among the top 10 most polluted places in the world. The discard of e-waste in Ghana presents an issue of environmental injustice, defined as the disproportionate exposure of communities of color and low-income communities to pollution, its associated health and environmental effects, and the unequal environmental protection provided through policies. Despite the economic benefits of e-waste, many civilians (low-income earners, settlers, children, and people with minimal education) are exposed to negative health effects due to poverty, lack of education, and weak regulations. We critically examine the existing literature to gather empirical information on e-waste and environmental injustice. Comprehensive policies and regulations are needed to manage e-waste locally and globally.

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Assessing data in the informal e-waste sector: The Agbogbloshie Scrapyard

Cited by 27 publications

References 28 publications

Electronic waste control and management in Ghana: A critical assessment of the law, perceptions and practices

Electronic waste control and management in Ghana: A critical assessment of the law, perceptions and practices

The myth of livelihoods through urban mining: The case of e-waste pickers in Cape Town

Environmental Injustice and Electronic Waste in Ghana: Challenges and Recommendations

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