With the dawn of technology like cell phones and personal computers, Africa has been facing a growing problem with both locally and foreign-produced electronic waste (e-waste). It has been a dumping site for old electronics shipped from Europe, often under dangerous conditions. A pressing problem is the increase of domestic e-growth. Population growth and easier access to electronics due to lax import legislation may cause Africa's domestic e-waste production to exceed that of Europe by 2017 according to experts.
Though the use of electronics in African countries is still relatively low, its current growth rate is astonishing. According to a report published by the E-waste Africa Programme of the Basel Convention, "in the last decade, the penetration rate of personal computers has increased by a factor of 10, while the number of mobile phone subscribers has increased by a factor of 100."
The increase in domestic and imported e-waste presents a serious challenge to authorities in countries like Kenya and Zambia. E-waste is problematic because some of the scrap components contain contaminants like lead. Great care must be taken even in the recycling process to avoid as much contact as possible with the waste. Most of the e-waste in Africa ends up in massive landfill piles, where poor children scavenge through the scraps in search of materials like gold, silver, and copper often used to construct electronics for resale.
The article highlights another problem with the accumulation of e-waste. Most of the recycling in Africa is informal, meaning that precious metals are not always properly extracted from waste and the treatment of the waste is not always done according to regulation or in the most sustainable manner. Formalizing the recycling process would help ensure that precious metals are properly extracted from the scrap, thus providing safer and more energy efficient disposal. According to Achim Steiner, head of the UN environmental agency UNEP, "from one ton of cellphones, minus the batteries, you can extract 3.5 kg of silver, 340 g of gold, 140 g of palladium and 130 kg of copper." He also stated that the cost of smelting recycled metals is "three or four times less energy intensive than smelting virgin ones." This is only possible, however, if the appropriate technology is accessible in Africa.
I found this article/issue interesting because it relates to much of what we have discussed and read in class. The technological advancement of the West is affecting the people and environment of an undeveloped region. We again see poor and vulnerable populations as victims of injustice, as the poorer populations around these landfills face greater exposure to the hazardous chemicals characteristic of e-waste. The situation raises the issue of environmental justice. One of the issues the article fails to address are the measures currently taken by UNEP and the African governments in question to take care of the problem of e-waste. Another question I have is whether or not you think European governments really have any responsibility for the negative effects caused by the landfills. I would also like to find statistics that demonstrate the correlation between e-waste piles and negative environmental and health effects.
http://www.news24.com/SciTech/News/Africa-to-generate-more-e-waste-20120315
This issue is a prime example of how the political ecology of a country factors into environmental issues that affect numerous nations. As globalization continues and regions within Africa are becoming more modernized, they gain more problems associated with types of waste that had only previously affected more industrialized areas of the world. Not only are the governments and people of Africa ill-equipped for dealing with e-waste, but more advanced regions of the world such as Europe have created measures that use their political dominance to mitigate their problem of e-waste. I am unsure of the reputability of this video, but it gives us an example of Europe's disposal of their e-waste in Africa:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwv9akJ62g
I think that the crucial part of this article comes at the very end with Steiner's warning: "But that sort of recycling will only happen is Africa is given access to the necessary technologies." He is referring to the recycling of precious medals such as gold, silver, and copper from the electronic waste. It seems that the Western world (yet again) is the problem but also offers a possible solution. If African governments are equipped with the necessary technology for the recycling of the medals, there can be increased regulation on the dumping process as well as a recovery of profitable recourses.
ReplyDeleteIt seems as though this article attempts to label Africa as a negligible pollutant of toxic waste. It is important to keep in mind that this waste is a natural consequence of development. African governments should not be demonized because their e-waste may exceed that of Europe by 2017. This is understandable when population size and growth are taken into consideration. Western governments can help aid Africa in adopting more environmentally friendly waste dumping strategies (what an oxymoron) but it cannot place blame on development, nor can it halt it.
This article was interesting to me because it presents a problem not often discussed by the media. People don't typically think of Africa as a continent where technology and its associated e-waste is prevalent. Furthermore, there's a trend in countries with firmly established technology industries to donate used cell phones and other devices to developing countries. While the intent behind these actions is certainly well meaning, the gesture has clearly developed into a problem. Before new technology can be introduced to countries in Africa, it is essential that the culture can sustain the use of such items as well as manage the disposal of the devices after use. It seems there have been some practices implemented which are working to alleviate the various problems, but more research and strategizing must be done.
ReplyDeleteLooking to the future, perhaps instead of donating used electronics to Africa, developed nations can instead donate the money from recycling such products. These funds could be used to create programs which will lead Africa toward becoming more technologically sustainable. If children are scrounging for precious metals found in the phones, etc. this is indicative of a far greater problem within the social infrastructure. Redefining the entire African social hierarchy is a bit of an impossibility, but perhaps making small changes to improve the quality of life of the children and their families could resolve some of the health risks associated with scavenging e-waste. In the long run, these practices will have a far greater benefit than the donation of used electronics and their subsequent e-waste ever will.
This article was enlightening, especially given how it flies in the face of how we typically see and what we typically associate with Africa. When Africa and technology are mentioned in the same sentence, it is almost always in a discussion of raw materials. The West has a hard time thinking of African countries making actual use of technology, unless it is in the form of donations from more affluent countries.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that sometimes Africa is treated like a dumping ground for first-world castoffs; equipment, clothing, and other things that the West has outgrown are suitable for use in underdeveloped countries. We give these things without considering the possible implications- when we give our old computers, we don't imagine that they will end up being a hazard. Rather, we imagine them in the classroom or small business, helping African infrastructure to grow. There are lots of good intentions here, but we all know what the road to hell is paved with.
I think that building recycling centers for technology in Africa might be economically useful and possibly sustainable, as well as a great way to get the minerals out of these old technologies, but I think that for this plan to work, the control absolutely must stay with Africans. This would have to be treated as a feasible business and not just another act of charity. It will be interesting to see where this goes in the next several years.