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Junk PCs dumped in African landfills - report
by Independent Online
25 October 2005 – Most computers recycled in the United States and Europe for use in developing
countries are useless and end up in landfills, causing huge environmental
damage, an environmental group said on Monday.
The report, titled "The Digital Dump: Exporting Re-Use And Abuse To Africa", charges that US recycling firms donate useless equipment to developing nations as a way to dodge the expense of having to recycle it properly.
The report by the Basel Action Network (BAN) focused on Lagos, Nigeria, but speculated that similar situations flourish throughout much of the developing world where a "tsunami of toxic techno-trash is making its way from rich to poorer countries".
The computers, phones, televisions and other high tech equipment that are touted as tools to bridge the digital divide are actually a "cyber-age nightmare" the report said. Most are broken or hopelessly obsolete and cause enormous environmental damage in countries which have little or no effective systems of dealing with the toxic waste contained in the devices, said the Seattle-based organisation.
The study's focus on Lagos, Nigeria, showed that even with a vibrant technology re-use sector and a thriving entrepreneurial class, only 25 percent of the 500 12-metre shipping containers that arrive there each month loaded with old equipment are put to new use.
"As much as 75 percent of the imports are 'junk' and are not economically repairable or marketable," the report said. "Consequently, this e-waste, which is legally a hazardous waste is being discarded and routinely burned... in a cyber-age nightmare."
"Re-use is a good thing, bridging the digital divide is a good thing, but exporting loads of technotrash in the name of these lofty ideals and seriously damaging the environment and health of poor communities in developing countries is criminal," said Jim Puckett, co-ordinator of BAN, who led the field investigation.
"Things are completely out of control," said Puckett, "Manufacturers have got to get toxic chemicals out of electronic goods, governments have got to start enforcing international law, and we consumers have got to be a lot more careful about what our local 'recycler' is really doing." - Sapa-dpa
FAIR USE NOTICE. This document contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The Basel Action Network is making this article available in our efforts to advance understanding of ecological sustainability and environmental justice issues. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
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