The Untold Story of E-Waste

The Untold Story of E-Waste Millions of mobile phones, computers, laptops, tablets, digital cameras and other electronic devices are sold in millions every year, but no one knows where they all go when they become obsolete, non-working, discarded or unwanted. STATES The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculates that over 60 million metric tons of electronic waste enters various landfills each year. PROTECTION Agbogbloshie, a former suburb of Accra, Ghana, has become a dumping ground for electronic waste (known as e-waste) where traders from across Europe, the USA, China & India have been illegally sending tons of old electronics. Ghana imports around 215,000 tons of e-waste and generates another 129,000 tons and this import is expected to double by 2020. 250,000 people in the vicinity are risk due to the high levels of lead pres- at ent in the soil. "Agbogbloshie is a social-economic and environmental disaster" – Kevin Mc Elvaney Cows visiting their usual grazing ground become poisoned by the e-waste. After the e-waste is dumped, useable metals are separated by hand by children as young as 7, and adults up to the age of 25. The rest of the material is then set on fire. Long-lasting side effects from contact with e-waste Constant headaches Breathing problems Cough up blood Problem in the eyes Lung problems Debilitating injuries Burns Untreated wounds Eye damage Chronic nausea Anorexia Respiratory issues Severe headaches In 2012, the US generated more than 9 million tons of e-waste, which was a huge jump from its 2 million tons in 2005. – STEP STEP SOLVING THE E-WASTE PROBLEM World's Worst Polluted Places Agbogbloshie, Ghana Kabwe, Zambia Chernobyl, Ukraine Kalimantan, Indonesia Citarum River, Indonesia Matanza Riachuelo, Argentina Dzershinsk, Russia Niger River Delta, Nigeria Hazaribagh, Bangladesh Norilsk, Russia Brought to you by www.ecogreenitrecycling.co.uk Sources: http://www.michaelciaglo.com/ ecogreen http://derkevin.com/Agbogbloshie.html http://www.dw.de/home-for-some-e-waste-dump-for-the-world/a-1731 3876 IT RECYCLING Please refrain from copying any part of the infograph/content or the blog without our prior permission or without proper mention of our company name. Incase the content is copied without proper attribution, this will be considered as copyright infringement. ING ENTAL