Suggestion of E-waste Management Process for Ghana (EWMP-G) for Eco-friendly E-waste Life Cycle Assessment: A Study on Agbogbloshie, Ghana

Abstract

The majority of e-waste is transported from developed to developing countries and there is no appropriate e-waste treatment technology in some developing countries. Ghana is suffering from serious e-waste environmental pollution. Currently, Agbogbloshie (Ghana) treat incoming e-waste in hand, harming the workers’ health. Therefore, we proposed the “e-waste management process for Ghana (EWMP-G).” First, we carried out a literature survey, to identify the current status of the problem and investigate the available technologies. Additionally, we categorized the discarding stage of the life cycle assessment into three steps: 1) sorting, 2) Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), and 3) incineration. Second, personal computers, refrigerators, and mobile phones, considered high-ranking e-waste entering Ghana, were selected as the samples. We prepared an e-waste dismantling and sorting guidebook, to ensure the workers’ safety. For RDF processing, we applied “shredding” and “pelletizing,” and for incineration, we selected a stoker-type incinerator. RDF and stocker incineration can remove the plastic from e-waste in Ghana in approximately 4.65 years and 0.264 months each. Based on the cost-benefit analysis, the EWMP-G could result in a surplus and manage the e-waste in Ghana within 4.65 years of EWMP-G.