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Ghana e-waste country assessment
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... Although the sector has grown, it remains technically "fragile" as each node in the value chain is affected by either government intervention (policy support and/or prohibitions), market forces (price fluctuations, irregular flows, or/and intense local competition), vagaries of the quality and quantity of imports [23]. The e-waste value chain in Ghana is lacking robust institutional, regulatory frameworks and in addition, human capacity undermine such initiatives [8]. Here it has been reported that around 85% of all the used electrical equipment which is imported into Ghana came from the [34]. ...
... Here it has been reported that around 85% of all the used electrical equipment which is imported into Ghana came from the [34]. While this provides Ghanaians the opportunities to acquire used electrical and electronic devices, but most of these appliances are disposed within a year [8]. Here, Agbogbloshie is the main hub for trading activities such as dismantling, recycling and disposal, where e-waste is dumped and burnt for metal recovery [39]. ...
This paper focuses on tools to approach the practices inherent to the formal and informal e-waste value-chains in Ghana. Our series of field trips and interviews with e-waste collectors and scrap workers, repairers and retailers at their respective workplaces, as well as with domestic electronics users captured a situation in flux, where local authorities had implemented their decision to demolish the Agbogbloshie scrapyard site in Accra in July 2021 and relocate the workplaces within the city. In this situation, our exploratory perspective on tools and practices serves as a lense to identify possibilities of socio-technical support for repairing and upcycling and related community building.
... Until recently Agbogbloshie, a suburb in Accra, Ghana was used as an informal e-waste recycling site. Prior to their relocation in 2021, the population of the study area was approximately 30,000 (Amoyaw-Osei & Agyekum, 2011). Agbogbloshie is situated near the Odaw River less than 1 km from the central business district of Accra. ...
Agbogbloshie in Accra, Ghana, was a center for informal e-waste recycling until it was closed recently. This study investigated the potential health risks of toxic metals (including As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Zn) found in the surface soils based on their concentrations and in vitro bioaccessibility. Mean concentrations at the burning sites were As: 218; Cd: 65; Cr: 182; Cu: 15,841; Ni: 145; Pb: 6,106; Sb: 552; and Zn: 16,065 mg/kg while the dismantling sites had mean concentrations of As: 23; Cd: 38; Cr: 342; Cu: 3239; Ni: 96; Pb: 681; Sb: 104; and Zn: 1658 mg/kg. The findings confirmed the enrichment of potentially toxic metals at the dismantling and burning sites, exceeding international environmental soil quality guidelines. Based on the total metal concentrations, bioaccessibility, and calculated risk indices, the risks associated with incidental ingestion of soil-borne metal contaminants at the dismantling and burning sites were very high. Despite evidence of higher metal concentrations in the communities near the burning and dismantling sites, the human health risk associated with soil ingestion was significantly lower in the surrounding neighborhood.
... On a policy level, a circular economy needs to be approached regionally within Africa, ensuring circularity through the necessary reduction strategies through the redesign, phasing out or elimination of unsustainable products and materials, introduction of reuse models, and regional recycling hubs. Cohesive harmonised legal and policy frameworks are needed concerning inter and intra transboundary movement of waste into and within Africa, with adequate external border laws and regulations as well as sufficient monitoring to ensure that Africa does not become the dumping ground for waste masquerading as second-hand goods from high-income countries-as is happening with e-waste (Amoyaw-Osei et al., 2011;Grant & Oteng-Ababio, 2016;GRID-Arendal, 2020;Odeyingbo et al., 2017;. ...
With a focus on plastic pollution, this chapter discusses the impacts of marine litter on the natural environment, the people and the economies of Africa. The impacts of marine litter will depend on various factors such as distribution, exposure time, size and type of organism. This chapter focusses on different impacts of marine litter at various scales, from ocean to coast, as well as more localised scales. The emphasis is on the coastal countries of the African continent, where information from Africa is lacking, and relevant data from other regions is used to infer possible impacts. Throughout this chapter, the environmental, social, economic and human impacts are discussed separately, although it should be remembered that these topics are intimately interlinked.
... On a policy level, a circular economy needs to be approached regionally within Africa, ensuring circularity through the necessary reduction strategies through the redesign, phasing out or elimination of unsustainable products and materials, introduction of reuse models, and regional recycling hubs. Cohesive harmonised legal and policy frameworks are needed concerning inter and intra transboundary movement of waste into and within Africa, with adequate external border laws and regulations as well as sufficient monitoring to ensure that Africa does not become the dumping ground for waste masquerading as second-hand goods from high-income countries-as is happening with e-waste (Amoyaw-Osei et al., 2011;Grant & Oteng-Ababio, 2016;GRID-Arendal, 2020;Odeyingbo et al., 2017;. ...
This chapter provides an overview of the international and regional legal and policy frameworks relevant to the prevention and management of marine litter. These instruments set the obligations and guidance for national action of participating countries. Legal and policy responses by governments provide an opportunity to address the many drivers of marine litter across the life cycle, from the design of products to the management of the waste they generate. Public awareness, consumer behaviour and industry engagement also play key roles in preventing marine litter. These interventions alone remain voluntary, fragmented and insufficient to tackle the marine litter problem. The national and/or regional responsibility of parties to prevent marine litter as established by these frameworks is not unique to the countries of Africa, and many of the barriers to effective compliance are shared with developing countries in other regions. The social context in which national implementation measures must operate can be unique to countries or regions. This chapter summarises the duties established by the legal and policy frameworks at the international and regional levels that may be applied to the issue of marine litter. It provides an African context to the barriers and drivers of effective implementation of national measures in compliance with international obligations. The scope of this chapter extends beyond the responsibility to prevent marine pollution, to establish a holistic and integrated duty of governments to provide a healthy environment and sustainable livelihoods as recognised in the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The review of these international, regional and national legal and policy frameworks therefore considers the inclusion of these broader principles to underpin prevention and management of marine litter.
... On a policy level, a circular economy needs to be approached regionally within Africa, ensuring circularity through the necessary reduction strategies through the redesign, phasing out or elimination of unsustainable products and materials, introduction of reuse models, and regional recycling hubs. Cohesive harmonised legal and policy frameworks are needed concerning inter and intra transboundary movement of waste into and within Africa, with adequate external border laws and regulations as well as sufficient monitoring to ensure that Africa does not become the dumping ground for waste masquerading as second-hand goods from high-income countries-as is happening with e-waste (Amoyaw-Osei et al., 2011;Grant & Oteng-Ababio, 2016;GRID-Arendal, 2020;Odeyingbo et al., 2017;. ...
What to expect from the African Marine Litter Outlook? The African Marine Litter Outlook provides an overview of marine litter from the African perspective. The Outlook covers: Marine Litter Sources and Distribution Pathways (Chap. 2 ), Impacts and Threats of Marine Litter in African Seas (Chap. 3 ), Legal and Policy Frameworks to address Marine Litter through Improved Livelihoods (Chap. 4 ), and The Way Forward, Building up from on-the-Ground Innovation (Chap. 5 ). This chapter provides the context for marine litter in Africa from a global and regional standpoint. This chapter introduces the concept of marine litter, the importance of the ocean, and the value of the Blue Economy in Africa. The uncertainties created by COVID-19 and its effects on future projections of marine litter are also summarised in this chapter.
... On a policy level, a circular economy needs to be approached regionally within Africa, ensuring circularity through the necessary reduction strategies through the redesign, phasing out or elimination of unsustainable products and materials, introduction of reuse models, and regional recycling hubs. Cohesive harmonised legal and policy frameworks are needed concerning inter and intra transboundary movement of waste into and within Africa, with adequate external border laws and regulations as well as sufficient monitoring to ensure that Africa does not become the dumping ground for waste masquerading as second-hand goods from high-income countries-as is happening with e-waste (Amoyaw-Osei et al., 2011;Grant & Oteng-Ababio, 2016;GRID-Arendal, 2020;Odeyingbo et al., 2017;. ...
Marine litter has been a global concern for many decades. It is important to understand marine litter sources and distribution pathways for the development of targeted and effective interventions and strategies. These have been relatively less researched on the African continent. This chapter focuses on (1) the sources of litter items from macro to nanoscale entering the marine environment and (2) the distribution and accumulation of these items within the environment, focusing on the African marine setting. Case studies are used to showcase specific examples and highlight knowledge/data gaps that need to be addressed within Africa. The potential pathways going forward are discussed and what may be expected in the future, in light of the challenges and successes examined.
... On a policy level, a circular economy needs to be approached regionally within Africa, ensuring circularity through the necessary reduction strategies through the redesign, phasing out or elimination of unsustainable products and materials, introduction of reuse models, and regional recycling hubs. Cohesive harmonised legal and policy frameworks are needed concerning inter and intra transboundary movement of waste into and within Africa, with adequate external border laws and regulations as well as sufficient monitoring to ensure that Africa does not become the dumping ground for waste masquerading as second-hand goods from high-income countries-as is happening with e-waste (Amoyaw-Osei et al., 2011;Grant & Oteng-Ababio, 2016;GRID-Arendal, 2020;Odeyingbo et al., 2017;. ...
This chapter of the African Marine Litter Outlook summarises the previous chapters, their findings, suggestions, and identified barriers to tackling marine litter in Africa. The importance of innovative ground-up solutions tackling waste management across Africa are highlighted in this chapter. The forward approach is then outlined through recommendations. The recommendations are covered in 10 points: 9 of which focus on local sources, with a 10th outlining the global need to tackle transboundary marine plastic litter, originating from sources outside of Africa’s control.
The issue of e-waste is global and is a mini catastrophe which is a big threat to the whole anthropogenosphere. There has been a laudable amount of research activities going on around the world on e-waste management for the last two decades. The last decade saw acceleration in developing and/or modifying technologies for environmentally sound e-waste recycling. However, this anthropogenic stockpile can be used for resource recovery and circulation. This is the main concept of urban mining, which facilitates the recovery of material and energy from urban waste and brings them back into the economy. The term urban mining has become synonymous with e-waste recycling as it is the most potential candidate for urban mining. It is important to tap this huge resource and bring it back to the economy. In reality, the stakeholders of e-waste business work in silos. It is quite relevant to bring them under one umbrella and look at things more in a systems approach. Partnership with the several units working as elements of an efficient supply chain will pave the path towards industrial symbiosis. Under the current investigation, the opportunities for establishing industrial symbiosis in case of e-waste recycling have been explored. A conceptual framework has been proposed based on literature survey and further analysis. Two realistic scenarios have been conceptualised—Presence of the companies in (a) two or three neighbouring zones and (b) scattered zone. A generalised discussion from the perspectives of sustainability has been provided to evaluate the two scenarios. It is expected to serve as prima facie for development of decision support systems in the future.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principles have emerged as the template for e-waste policies, centered on establishing regulated collection and recycling channels. Originating in the global North, these policies are increasingly adopted in the global South where e-waste is primarily ‘managed’ by the informal sector, centered in spatially defined hubs. These formal systems fail to achieve collection quotas, while further marginalizing informal recyclers by delegitimizing their access to e-waste. We suggest an alternative hub-centered approach to e-waste reform based on eight years of research and advocacy within the Israel-West Bank e-waste system. We offer several converging rationales for centralizing hubs in e-waste policies and a case study demonstrating an integrated hub-driven package of business, enforcement, and cleanup measures. While the unique complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian case offer an exceptional window into the dynamics of a hub-driven approach, similar packages might shape e-waste policy reform throughout the global South.
With the increasing global legal and illegal trade of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) comes an equally increasing concern that poor WEEE recycling techniques, particularly in developing countries, are generating more and more environmental pollution that affects both ecosystems and the people living within or near the main recycling areas. This review presents data found in the scientific and grey literature about concentrations of lead (Pb), polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated dioxins and furans as well as polybrominated dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs and PBDD/Fs) monitored in various environmental compartments in China and India, two countries where informal WEEE recycling plays an important economic role. The data are compared with known concentration thresholds and other pollution level standards to provide an indication of the seriousness of the pollution levels in the study sites selected and further to indicate the potential negative impact of these pollutants on the ecosystems and humans affected. The review highlights very high levels of Pb, PBDEs, PCDD/Fs and PBDD/Fs in air, bottom ash, dust, soil, water and sediments in WEEE recycling areas of the two countries. The concentration levels found sometimes exceed the reference values for the sites under investigation and pollution observed in other industrial or urban areas by several orders of magnitude. These observations suggest a serious environmental and human health threat, which is backed up by other studies that have examined the impact of concentrations of these compounds in humans and other organisms. The risk to the population treating WEEE and to the surrounding environment increases with the lack of health and safety guidelines and improper recycling techniques such as dumping, dismantling, inappropriate shredding, burning and acid leaching. At a regional scale, the influence of pollutants generated by WEEE recycling sites is important due to the long-distance transport potential of some chemicals. Although the data presented are alarming, the situation could be improved relatively rapidly by the implementation of more benign recycling techniques and the development and enforcement of WEEE-related legislation at the national level, including prevention of unregulated WEEE exports from industrialised countries.
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