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Agbogbloshie: one of the worlds contaminated places
Thousands of laptops, phones, and other electronic garbage are burning, lighted with the insulating material of old kitchen fridges. Black smoke with added toxic particles like lead or quicksilver lifts in the air. Children and teens rooting through the waste to find precious metals, which can be sold for some few coins. Seeing this image, you can be sure that you are facing the “Agbogbloshie”.
Agbogbloshie is the biggest electronic waste (e-waste) site in Africa. Moreover, it´s numbered among the contaminated and poisoned places in the world. Toxic smoke and polluted air increase the health risk dramatically as well as inflamed wounds of the people. Most of the kids working there never grow old, they die without seeing nearly anything else than waste.
The most surprising fact is, that this huge scrapyard isn´t built by sewage of Ghana or even Africa. In fact, it´s the refuse of the affluent western societies. According to a German media office, every month 500 container filled with old computers and other electronic devices from all around the globe arrive at Tema harbour.
Europe is marked with throwaway societies. In the common mind, it´s set, that it´s way easier to throw something away instead of put effort into the repair. Companies do overproduction to manage the growing demand. Consequently, more and more luxury goods are produced, used for a while and then dumped.
Illegal waste dumping makes improvement impossible
It would be less necessary to address this issue when the refuse would be recycled and re-used. Unfortunately, in 2015 The UN Environment Program (UNEP) stated that 60 to 90 percent of the world’s e-waste is illegally dumped. Dumped in countries, which can´t afford a stable waste recycling process.
Like the most European countries, Germany signed the agreement of Basel, which permits the export of technical refusal. But the controls are sparse and inaccurate, the officials in charge are corrupt. As a result, the Agbogbloshie grows and grows.
Trying to contain the mountains of sewage, the German government announced aid of US$ 21.5 million. With the aim of the transformation of the e-waste processing system in Accra, the project tries to protect both workers and the environment. Due to installation of health care centres in Agbogbloshie, people living in the contaminated area should be supported.
This is only one out of thousand steps, which must be taken before the danger is extinct completely. Firstly, to provide a regulated importation of refuse, the people involved in illegal dumping must be prosecuted. Secondly, factories, which can make use of the precious metals should be founded. Eventually, the business with recycling companies could finally benefit the Ghanaian community.
Story by: Elisabeth Fitzke/Pinkfmonlinegh.com
