Environmental Injustice and Electronic Waste in Ghana: Challenges and Recommendations

Abstract

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.

Intentions to Create Green Start-Ups for Collection of Unwanted Drugs: An Empirical Study

“…Waste in general, especially hazardous waste, may cause harm to humans, animals, plants, and water [10,33,47]. Therefore, it is very important to dispose of it properly [2,4].…”

“…Based on their review, Sapkota and Pariatamby [32] (p. 83) reported that "households and healthcare facilities usually dispose of contaminated, unused, or expired medicines with municipal waste". There is no doubt that these practices have dire effects on human health and the environment [2,10], in addition to the serious harm that may befall waste collection workers, especially when they do not use personal protective equipment [33]. Therefore, to develop sustainable practices, stakeholders should adopt green business models that consider the environmental, social, and economic dimensions [22].…”