By Helena Selby
It is very disheartening to know that African countries and other under-developed countries have become a dumping ground for expired and used products – electronic industrial junk - which no longer conform to the standards of the developed countries, which keep on changing, as technology improves.
Accra, the capital of Ghana, to be precise Agbobgloshie, and some parts of Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, are being turned into dumping sites for computer waste of all trade marks. However, the situation in Abgobgloshie is becoming dangerous, with the number of waste computers increasing daily.
Agbogbloshie
In Accra the most popular place for dumping computer junk is the Agbogbloshie Market. It is one of the biggest markets in the city, and has a lot of people trooping in and out daily, to purchase foodstuffs either for the home or for trading. It is situated on a flat land alongside the Densu River.
During periods of heavy rainfall, most of the site becomes flooded, and during these times, dust and soil containing chemical contaminants from the computer junk are carried into the adjacent, low-lying lagoon and the Densu River, which flow into the sea.
Though a very important market place, the issue of cleanliness and hygiene is not considered. Foods like cassava, plantain, orange, pineapple are displayed on sack cloth or the bare ground. Women, who hawk cooked food like rice, waakye, beans and many others, make their stop points beside choked gutters and overflowing waste bins. What is more, the dumping of all kinds of waste – garbage, faeces etc. - in the lagoon, has given the place a permanent stench.
Unfortunately close to the banks of the lagoon, is where the computer junk is deposited. According to residents, whenever it rained garbage dumped there is carried into the lagoon, and owing to this, the lagoon which was once used for fishing, is no more being utilized, because the garbage has destroyed and driven marine life away.
How does industrial junk find its way here?
In the opinion of the United Nations Environmental Programme, 20-50 million tonnes of electronics are discarded each year, with 70% of these products being shipped to the poor countries, including Ghana. One might wonder how these computer junks find their way into developing countries like Ghana, despite the Basel Ban Amendment, under the Basel convention, which forbids the exports of e-waste from developed to developing countries.
According to Mike Anane, a United Nations (UN) environment laureate, business people get round the Basel Ban by labelling shipments as usable second hand goods or donations.
“Research shows that about 90% of the computers are junk, they just do not work, they are obsolete, not functional and they contain an array of toxic materials, including lead, mercury and brominated flames retarded and they are destined for disposal in their countries of origin.”
Anane said he was once surprised to see some foreigners at the Tema Port selling used computers as low as GH¢4. The funny aspect was that, these foreigners insisted they would not allow testing of the products at the site, and to the dismay of buyers, the majority of these computers are not usable. They included brands like Toshiba, Dell, Philips, Sony, Sharp, IBM, Hewlett Packard, and many others.
Nurudi Mohammed, a worker at the Abgobgloshie dump site, said they normally get the computers from companies and individuals, at very low prices, to extract lead and other metals from them. After taking out what they need the computers are left at the site.
Effects on environment
Soil from an open burning site is moderately contaminated, while sediment from the Abgobgloshie Lagoon contained a very high level of these highly toxic, highly persistent and bio accumulative chemicals, at a level just below the threshold defined as being indicative of serious contamination for sediment.
Looking at the rate of contamination and destruction, human rights are being abused owing to the fact that land which can be used for growing crops for human consumption is made infertile. Water bodies for fishing and drinking are gradually being polluted and what is more, the air in such areas is also being polluted. Who knows what kinds of diseases and illnesses can result from that?
The dumping ground at Agbogbloshie is also a feeding ground of cattle, which are later on slaughtered for human consumption.
Moreover, the vast land, which can be used for developmental projects, like building of industries and even recreational grounds for children, is being destroyed.
Effect on children
The process of extracting these metals and wires, mostly done with child labour, involves the breaking apart burning of the products, which end up releasing toxic elements like lead, mercury and brominated flames, to pollute the atmosphere of the surroundings. According to SCIENCE DIRECT, a website on health, exposure to lead can have a wide range of effects on a child's development and behaviour. Even when exposed to small amounts of lead levels, children may appear inattentive, hyperactive and irritable.
Children with greater lead levels may also have problems with learning, reading, delayed growth and loss of hearing. At high levels, lead can cause permanent brain damage and even death. Early identification and treatment of lead poisoning, reduces the risk, thus preventing the children from suffering permanent damage. Treatment begins with removal of the child from the sources of the lead, while medications can remove lead from the body.
With the rate at which lead has serious consequences on children, it is no wonder children at the Abgobgloshie dumping site tend to over react at the slightest provocation. Moreover the effect of lead on the children has made some of them lose interest in education.
According to Simon Akon, a Class Five pupil, he prefers coming to the dumping site to make a few coins, rather than going to school. All that he has to do, is wake up early, and lie to his parents that he is going to school by putting on his uniform, and on his way divert his course to the dumping site.
He said they dismantled the waste for copper and other metals, and do not wear any protective equipment. Their adequate protection exposes them daily to lethal doses of hazardous chemicals like mercury and lead.
Effect on the economy
The dumping of computer waste, though a nuisance to the nation is also a source of income to some of the youth in the country. The burning of this waste gives the youth the opportunity to sell and make some income, not only for themselves, but also for their families.
According to Rashid Abdul, who hails from the north, despite the fact that they often suffer burns, metal cutting them, chemicals pouring on their hands, he came to Accra to live with his uncle, simply because his parents could not afford his school fees. To him, he is very much grateful to work in a place like that, since he it is a source of daily bread.
However, the environment giving people a source of income at the same time is also making others lose their source of income, especially those in the fishing occupation, with the reason that the degradation of the land has brought about the contamination of the lagoon, resulting in the destruction of marine life.
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