Rich nations accused of dumping e-waste on Africa
The British newspaper The Guardian has just published an interesting text on e-waste. The rich countries are sending this waste to some of the poorest nations. At least 100,000 computers a month are entering the Nigerian port of Lagos. Good quality, second hand pieces of equipment? Local experts estimate that between a quarter to 75% of these items are defunct - in other words e-waste, in other words, long distance dumping from developed country consumers and companies to an African rubbish tip or landfill.
Unbelievable, isn’t it? How do you feel?
Unbelievable, isn’t it? How do you feel?
Where is that old computer you dumped last year?
The Guardian wrote:
“Growing consumerism and improvements in technology are leading to an increase in the amount of dangerous electronic waste being dumped on the world's poorest nations, the head of the UN Environment Programme said today.
Addressing a conference of delegates from 120 countries in Kenya, Achim Steiner said that alongside growth in trade between countries had come "the globalised phenomenon of consumerism and what one might call 'built in obsolescence'."
Hi-tech products like mobile phones and computers were "driving the purchasing and discarding of products in a way unknown a generation ago," he said.
Mr Steiner said he had just learned that at least 100,000 computers a month were entering the Nigerian port of Lagos.
"If these were good quality, second hand pieces of equipment, this would perhaps be a positive trade of importance for development.
"But local experts estimate that between a quarter to 75% of these items including old TVs, CPUs and phones are defunct - in other words e-waste, in other words long distance dumping from developed country consumers and companies to an African rubbish tip or landfill."
Some 20 to 50 million metric tonnes of e-waste are generated worldwide every year.
In the EU the volume of e-waste is expected to increase by 3-5% a year, while developing countries are expected to triple their output of e-waste by 2010.
The Guardian wrote:
“Growing consumerism and improvements in technology are leading to an increase in the amount of dangerous electronic waste being dumped on the world's poorest nations, the head of the UN Environment Programme said today.
Addressing a conference of delegates from 120 countries in Kenya, Achim Steiner said that alongside growth in trade between countries had come "the globalised phenomenon of consumerism and what one might call 'built in obsolescence'."
Hi-tech products like mobile phones and computers were "driving the purchasing and discarding of products in a way unknown a generation ago," he said.
Mr Steiner said he had just learned that at least 100,000 computers a month were entering the Nigerian port of Lagos.
"If these were good quality, second hand pieces of equipment, this would perhaps be a positive trade of importance for development.
"But local experts estimate that between a quarter to 75% of these items including old TVs, CPUs and phones are defunct - in other words e-waste, in other words long distance dumping from developed country consumers and companies to an African rubbish tip or landfill."
Some 20 to 50 million metric tonnes of e-waste are generated worldwide every year.
In the EU the volume of e-waste is expected to increase by 3-5% a year, while developing countries are expected to triple their output of e-waste by 2010.
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