Poisonous Electronics in Ghana When I first think of Africa the word desert comes to mind. After reading books and learning about Africa in core discussions I have gained so much more insight as to what Africa is all about. Africa is a very diverse continent with many cultures and a very large population. Although there are many countries in Africa, I will be focusing on a country in Western Africa, Ghana. Many are unaware of the electronic wastelands in Ghana, tons of used appliances are being discarded here every year. This e-waste is a major problem for the people of Ghana and it needs to be taken care of, not only is it bad for their health but toxins such as lead leak into the soil and cause many problems for crops and wildlife. I would
…show more content…
However, the regulatory responsibility rests on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Checks at the EPA for possible regulations on e-waste management drew a blank, as there is currently no explicit e-waste management regulation in Ghana.” The EPA declared in 2005 that they were working on rules to control the flow of used up electronics into Ghana, but since then nothing has happened to fix this problem. Sometimes there are cases where waste is illegally imported, in 2009 several men were imprisoned while trying to illegally import contaminated waste into Ghana (Oteng-Ababio). Most of the people in Ghana are unaware of the dangers that e-waste imposes. A Deputy Minister in Ghana said, “there is no dumping of e-waste in Ghana” (Oteng-Ababio). Also a Public Relations Officer of the EPA stated, “there is no need for people to be concerned; the situation is not as scary as the media is making it look like” (Oteng-Ababio). People of the communities are having to choose whether to work in the recycling services or be unemployed and affected by the health risks. If the landfills were properly constructed to hold waste, then perhaps this would not be a big problem, but the lack of engineering is to …show more content…
A sample of one hundred fish, six different species were taken and cleaned. All of the fish species that were used in this experiment are consumed by the locals. They were taken to a lab and dried out to be tested. A sample of tissue was taken from each of the fish’s dorsal and prepared for an analysis. Results showed that three out of the six species of fish had total mercury concentrations above the World Health Organization’s recommended numbers. However, the concentration of mercury depends on the species, age, and size of the fish. To make sure the public do not get sick from excess mercury the WHO provide a weekly intake scale that is to be followed, but often the public consume a fish that has a very high mercury content and get sick (Kwaansa-Ansah, Agorku, & Nriagu, 2011). The mercury and lead from electronic waste is destroying some of the fish population. In 2015, an interview of twenty male workers from the Agbogbloshie worksite was
However, the regulatory responsibility rests on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Checks at the EPA for possible regulations on e-waste management drew a blank, as there is currently no explicit e-waste management regulation in Ghana.” The EPA declared in 2005 that they were working on rules to control the flow of used up electronics into Ghana, but since then nothing has happened to fix this problem. Sometimes there are cases where waste is illegally imported, in 2009 several men were imprisoned while trying to illegally import contaminated waste into Ghana (Oteng-Ababio). Most of the people in Ghana are unaware of the dangers that e-waste imposes. A Deputy Minister in Ghana said, “there is no dumping of e-waste in Ghana” (Oteng-Ababio). Also a Public Relations Officer of the EPA stated, “there is no need for people to be concerned; the situation is not as scary as the media is making it look like” (Oteng-Ababio). People of the communities are having to choose whether to work in the recycling services or be unemployed and affected by the health risks. If the landfills were properly constructed to hold waste, then perhaps this would not be a big problem, but the lack of engineering is to …show more content…
A sample of one hundred fish, six different species were taken and cleaned. All of the fish species that were used in this experiment are consumed by the locals. They were taken to a lab and dried out to be tested. A sample of tissue was taken from each of the fish’s dorsal and prepared for an analysis. Results showed that three out of the six species of fish had total mercury concentrations above the World Health Organization’s recommended numbers. However, the concentration of mercury depends on the species, age, and size of the fish. To make sure the public do not get sick from excess mercury the WHO provide a weekly intake scale that is to be followed, but often the public consume a fish that has a very high mercury content and get sick (Kwaansa-Ansah, Agorku, & Nriagu, 2011). The mercury and lead from electronic waste is destroying some of the fish population. In 2015, an interview of twenty male workers from the Agbogbloshie worksite was