Africa is recognised as a dumping ground for toxic, chemical and electronic waste from the developed nations of the world.As much as 80% of the world's high-tech trash ends up in Asia and Africa. Out of this proportion of detritus called e-waste, about 65% flows to China and 35% comes to Nigeria.
TVs, computers and monitors, GSM handsets and wireless devices form the chunk of e-waste in Nigeria today. The computers, with monitors and keyboards, sitting on desks, television sets in houses and offices, GSM handsets etc., are all laced with toxins and deadly chemicals. They are all classified as post-consumer hazardous waste which makes un-suspected users vulnerable to health risks.
This free trade in hazardous waste will end up leaving the indigent peoples of the world with untenable choice between poverty and poison; but while other security-minded developing countries stoutly legislated against the trend, it has the rule rather than exception in Nigeria. READ ON
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Nigeria: Impact of Electronic Pollution
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2 comments:
I never knew!
80% of dump in Africa..
How do we live in such an unjust world, without stopping something so big as this?
Quite comfortably for sure!
I've a friend working in Nigeria.. going to email her to find out what we can do- You interested?
salam,
80% of the worlds high tech waste ends up in asia and africa.. interesting. did you know that asia and africa together account for about 80% of the earth's land mass and 70% of its population. the problem ofcourse being that they probably account for less than a fifth of the worlds high tech consumers (my guess).
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