The Problem and Solution

In my last blog, I introduce you to a toxic city called Agbogbloshie and how it is one of the biggest dump site in Africa. Also I talk about how life is there for young children because they are the primary victim who risk their health to earn a living.Today, I will be talking about the health issues that the people of Agbogbloshie is facing from E-waste and the solution to this problem.

Health issues in Agbogbloshie.

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The majority of the people living or working in Agbogbloshie are facing some major health issues.
They are susceptible to many illnesses and injuries from hazardous materials. According to an article about health-seeking behaviors published on the website of BMC Public Health, public health, these include chest and respiratory-track associated symptoms, body pain due from injuries, stomach pain, malaria, and dizziness. Most of the workers are exposed to the metals from old electronic devices as they are trying to burn them and get useful materials out of them. The workers don't have places to sleep after working and scraping out metals, therefore they will sleep in an open area risking mosquito bites. They face various injuries each day trying to take metals out of old devices. These metals can injure their skin. They also use hammers to destroy old television screens and this can lead to them harming themselves.

Seeking health behavior 

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Developing country like Ghana lack access to health care and can't afford seeing the doctor for proper care. When there's a treat to the workers health, they will refuse to receive a proper medical care. However, when they feel really ill throughout the day, they will end up going to a drug store to get a pain killer. There are also traditional medicine made by local people that don't cost a lot and according to BMC Public Health, they interview one of the worker in agbogbloshie about how he takes care of his health and according to the worker, he will buy a traditional medicine that cost less than a dollar to get rid of the pain. They prefer traditional medicine because it is cheaper than drug store or seeing a doctor but when it doesn't work, they will go to the drug store just to avoid going to the hospital because the hospital will cost them a lot. Workers sometimes believe that their condition is not serious enough to seek for healthcare and will rather stay home until they feel better. E-waste worker are very comfortable communicating with drug store owners than communicating with the doctors. They are able to tell their problem to drug store owners without having any difficulties. Some have credit arrangement with these owners in a way that they can buy a drug and pay back later.

Solution

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As I mention earlier in my other post that Ghana doesn't have a law relating to waste management but recently, according to Ghana Government parliament just passed a law to control hazardous and E-wasted management. This law will manage and provide safely control of electronic waste throughout the country. Develop countries like Germany who also send their old electronic devices to Ghana are planing to support E waste disposal that will be helpful to the worker and the community of Agblogboshie. They are helping the people of Ghana to build a better facility where materials can be brought and sold while processed safely. According to Pius Amihere Ghana is also saving 30 million of dollars on health impact and more facilities relating to E waste.

This is the end of my blog and hope you enjoy reading and learning more about the great country of Ghana and now you know where your old electronic device is going and the damage it is causing to the people of Ghana.

Effects of E-Waste

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In my last blog, I talk more abut Agbloboshie and how it is one of the main area in Ghana destroy by E-waste even though it is just an ordinary city in Ghana with thousands of residents, where people shop, drive around, play sport and work like any other city. People living in this area is infected by the toxic materials. Some of these toxic materials also have effect on the environment and animals.

Humans 

                                                                    

Children on the frontline

Most of the people living in Agbobloshie is effected by E-waste but children are the primary victim of E-waste. They are the ones mostly risking their life in this toxic place called Agbogbloshie. Agbogbloshie is a city in Ghana that have one of the largest E-waste dump site and remember this is where people live and work. Young children will make their way through this toxic place, desperate to burn any unwanted  electronic device originating from develop countries just to get few ounces of aluminum, copper, brass or even zinc. According to Moukaddem Karimeh,  " Nearly three percent of E- waste is composed of toxins including lead, arsenic, cardamom, hexavelent chromium and mercury. Mercury and lead are particularly dangerous neurotics that bio-accumulate in children's bodies over time".  Based on the toxins that most children are exposed too, lead them coughing blood. At the end of the day from working, most of these children will feel dizzy and have headache because they are exposed to these metals. "Children have about eight times the risk of adults when exposed to mental dust and the blood measurement in children have high levels of cadmium and lead" Moukaddem Karimeh. However, children living in this area have no choice but to do whatever it takes to earn a living.

The Environment

                                                         agbogbloshie

This is  a photo of Agbogbloshie shows some old computers in the river form as a bridge for people to pass through to get to the other area. The old electronics devices is winding up in landfills causing toxic metals to leach into the ground. People who work in Agbobloshie don't have the knowledge to recycle e-waste properly. E-waste recycling is not regulated or monitor therefore the soil is easily contaminated. The improper ways of recycling have also lead to contaminated water for the people in Agbobloshie.

Ecosystem

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Animals in Agbobloshie is affected by e-waste due to the contaminated soil and air. This is causing serious damage towards the animals in agbobloshie. Animals are not only inhaling the contaminated air but also consuming the plant that is contaminated. The contaminated soil is very harmful to the plant that can lead to them not growing or producing food. Heavy metals in landfill is causing tissue and gill damage among many species of fish.


All in all, Majority of the population of Agbogbloshie, children tend to be the primary victim affected by E-waste.  Most of the time, children will come home from school with no food to eat, walk their way through this toxic place just to earn a living and putting their health at risk. In my next blog post, I will be focusing more on the health issues and ways that the people of Ghana are using to prevent the problem.

Life in Agbogbloshie

 Agbogboshie

Agbogbloshie

Agbloboshie is just an ordinary city in Ghana with thousands of residents, where people shop, drive around, play sports, and work, like in any other city. This was once a beautiful place in Ghana, and now it has been completely changed due to electronic waste. This place is one of the largest electronic waste dump sites in Africa (Jacopo Ottaviani). The people of Ghana tend to use second hand devices from develop countries. which will not be useful to them for a long time and after use, Ghanaians will end up dumping their electronics in this dumpsite.

The Flames of Abogbloshie

Agbogbloshie

Agbogbloshie is a place where it is so cheap and fast to recycle copper from an old electrical wire by burning it. This is where people earn a living but also cause harm to their health just by burning these electronic devices. The smoke in the air produces carbon monoxide that is a hazard to human health and the environment. However, this is a lively city where people go about their daily activities. Everyday, workers will clear the area by extreme heat radiating from burning electronic devices.

Covered in Toxins

                            making a living

 Some of these residents are trapped in this city surrounded by poverty, and some barley make money from the useful materials they are selling, which aren't able to buy food for themselves. "Workers, especially young children, will burn old foam on top electronic devices to melt the plastic while leaving behind scraps of copper and ion that they will sell" (Global development ). Workers will destroy glass screens from devices, burn plastic to get copper or other valuable materials, and by doing that, they are leaving their skin uncovered from toxic black dust that is coming from the poisonous fumes, damaging the soil and water around them.

You learn more about Agbloboshie and how it is one of the biggest dump sites in Africa. In my next blog post, I will be talking about the life of the people, plant and animals in Abloboshie.

How does E-waste get to Ghana

Electronic Waste Management in Ghana

Take a wild guess about where your old electronic devices go when you are done using them. Do have any idea? 
The graph above shows the massive number of used computers that are transported in Ghana every year from 2004-2011. Tons of the computers are shipped to Ghana every year. Companies in Ghana make develop countries ship their old devices to sell it for cheaper price.

Who is bringing E-waste to Ghana?

The above picture is from Spiel Online, which shows the number of second hand televisions sold in Ghana. Electronic devices that have been use in develop countries like Holland, America, England, Australia, etc. are now living a second life in Ghana. Developed countries produce new electronic devices, and by doing that, they tend to ship the old ones to countries that are still developing.

What do they do with these old electronic devices?

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Ghana is also one of the developing countries in West Africa that is willing to make use out of those devices. The E- waste are being ship to Ghana will be sold for a low price and people will be able to afford it. When Ghanaians buy these used electronic devices, it will only be used again for a year or two then, they will try to fix the devices or it will end up in a dump site (Agbogbloshie), and that will lead to a domestic E-waste. Ghanaian are using second-hand electronic devices because it is the only way to buy it for a cheaper price. When you think about the positive side, Ghanaian have access to technology. They can buy computers (refurbished) for a cheaper price, and those who fix computers in Ghana have the ability to increase their skills as technicians by making use of the useful material in those computers.

The Problem

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 Most of the Computers that is shipped to Ghana are causing toxic health problems to the people and also environmental issues. According to Isaac Kaledzi, nearly 60 to 90 percent of the worlds's electronic waste is legally dumped in Ghana, and 42 millions tons of e-waste were generated. Therefore, there is no law in the constitution of Ghana pertaining to E-waste, but the government started a plan that will show awareness about  E-waste management. 

 "Without the television sets they fixed over the years, nobody would have built TV towers"  Ottaviani Jacopo.

toxicity

All all, developed countries play a big role in E-waste by shipping their old devices to Ghana to be reused and recycled. In my next blog post, I will share the story of Agbloboshie where the problem of E-waste is most acute.