Title: E-waste in developing country context-Issues, challenges, practices, opportunities: Addressing the WEEE Challenge in Ghana.
Author
Yamoah, Samuel Baah
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2014
Submitted on
2014-02-07
Pages
78
Abstract
Uformel genanvendelse af affald fra elektrisk og elektronisk udstyr (e‑affald) i Ghana foregår ofte på miljøskadelig vis, f.eks. ved åben afbrænding for at udvinde metaller. Farlige stoffer som kobber, bly, tin, antimon og cadmium er allerede fundet i giftige mængder over baggrundsniveauer i jorde ved e‑affaldspladser i Agbogbloshie (Accra) samt på skrotningspladser i Kumasi og Koforidua. Det gør behovet for korrekt og miljømæssigt forsvarlig håndtering af e‑affald endnu mere presserende. Dette speciale undersøger Ghanas Environmental Protection Agency’s udkast til en national WEEE‑strategi. Det ser på, hvilke drivkræfter der har formet strategien, hvilke barrierer der kan hæmme gennemførelsen, og hvilke tiltag der kan øge chancen for succes, når strategien rulles ud. Metodisk anvendes en blandet tilgang med både kvalitative og kvantitative data: spørgeskemaer blandt uformelle skrotsamlere og genvindere i Agbogbloshie samt interview med nøglepersoner via Skype og e‑mail. Data analyseres i lyset af to teorier: bæredygtigt levebrød (sustainable livelihoods approach), der ser på, hvordan mennesker skaffer sig indkomst under forskellige begrænsninger, og politisk økologi, der undersøger samspillet mellem magtforhold og miljø. Hovedkonklusionen er, at stærk politisk opbakning fra regeringen er afgørende for at realisere den nationale WEEE‑strategi. Samtidig er det vigtigt at skabe jobalternativer—særligt i og omkring den uformelle genvindingssektor—for at mindske de urbane fattiges og økonomisk sårbares afhængighed af uformel e‑affaldsgenanvendelse, som skader miljøet.
Informal recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (e‑waste) in Ghana often involves open burning to recover metals, which harms the environment. Hazardous substances such as copper, lead, tin, antimony, and cadmium have already been found in soils at e‑waste sites in Agbogbloshie (Accra) and at scrap yards in Kumasi and Koforidua at levels above natural background. This makes proper, environmentally sound e‑waste management even more urgent. This thesis examines the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana’s draft national WEEE strategy. It explores the drivers that shaped the strategy, the barriers that could hinder its implementation, and what measures could support its success once rolled out. The study uses a mixed approach with both qualitative and quantitative data: surveys with informal scavengers and recyclers in Agbogbloshie, and interviews with key respondents conducted via Skype and email. The analysis is guided by two theoretical perspectives: the sustainable livelihoods approach, which considers how people secure income under constraints, and political ecology, which examines how power relations and environmental issues interact. The main conclusion is that strong government backing is crucial for the strategy’s success. It is also vital to create alternative jobs—especially in and around the recycling sector—to reduce the dependence of the urban poor and economically vulnerable on informal e‑waste recycling practices that damage the environment.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
Keywords
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