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Government to stop import of electronic waste pollution
Accra, April 11, Ghanadot/GNA -
Government has been tasked to institute stringent measurers
to check the huge importation of electronic waste being
dumped in the country.
Mr. Mike Anane, a laureate of the United Nations Environment
Programme Global 500 and Coordinator of a campaign dubbed,
"Stop the Exportation and Dumping of Toxic Waste," further
called on government to review the nation's environmental
laws and regulations to stem the importation of electronic
waste.
Speaking at press conference in Accra on Friday, Mr Anane
said the increasing exportation of electronic waste
(e-waste) had had several implications on the nation’s
health and the environment.
These include the outbreak of respiratory diseases, eye
defects and other related ailments.
Mr Anane expressed concern about the upsurge of imported
electronic waste such as used computers, television and air
conditioners, saying they were brought under the pretext of
recycling.
He noted that the nation did not have any recycling plant to
tackle these electronic wastes, stressing that the
dismantling and burning of those wastes could not be
classified as recycling.
Agbogbloshie Market in Accra is one of the spots of
dismantling and burning of e-waste. Dismantled computers are
sold in tonnes to prospective agents who in turn sell them
to companies.
While these dismantled e-wastes are bagged and shipped to
China and other countries, copper and other metals embedded
in them are also sold to local firms for a fee.
Mr Anane noted that the United Nations Environment Programme
estimated that 20-50 million tonnes of electronics were
discarded each year with 70 per cent of these products being
shipped to poor nations.
"These machines are obsolete, not functional; they contain
an array of toxic materials, including lead, mercury and
brominated flame retardants which were destined for
landfills," he said
Mr Anane observed that the preserved "Korle Lagoon," was now
dead as a result of the activities of the scrap dealers who
dismantled the electronic waste on the banks of the lagoon.
According to Mr. Anane, most of the e-waste exported could
not be refurbished hence they ended up in rivers, lagoons
streams, among other places, stressing that these wastes
contained dangerous elements that were inimical to the
health of millions of people and the environment.
He said e-waste in Ghana had reached crisis proportion
noting that each week containers of discard computers,
television sets and even lead acid automotive batteries were
shipped from industrialised nations.
"Children in particular are highly susceptible to toxic
substances, which could lead to long term cancers that
affected the lungs and all parts of the body," he added.
Mr Anane said irresponsible exportation and dumping of
e-waste by industrialised countries presented a major
international environmental justice scandal, which should be
condemned by all.
He therefore appealed to government to review the nation's
environmental laws and regulations as well as penalties
contained in them to ensure that waste brokers and recyclers
may not be tempted to breach them.
Mr Anane mentioned Germany, Holland, United Kingdom and
United States of America as some of the routes where more
e-wastes were shipped from and appealed to the international
communities to accelerate efforts in order to reduce the
risks posed by e-waste.
"A host of developed countries are already grappling with
what to do with the piles of discarded e-waste. Exporting
them to developing countries including Ghana is increasingly
becoming one of the most preferred ways of getting rid of
them," he said.
He called on manufacturers to disclose publicly hazardous
substances in their products and proper techniques for
managing them.
GNA
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