Recycling 'is' the key, but it sure needs some tweaking
This comes from youngsters in Ghana’s capital, Accra, where thousands of tonnes of old computers and other assorted e-waste, is being dumped.
Many of the scrap parts from these old machines are saleable and metals like copper can fetch good prices, unfortunately the computer shells are commonly burned to extract them.
Burning exposes those trying to collect these precious commodities to toxic and chemical filled fumes and they are presenting serious health hazards to the local inhabitants.
E-waste is regularly exported from the UK and other countries to places like India and China and more recently, Ghana has joined them.
Watch BBC journalist Will Ross’s video report from Accra in Ghana here.
Find out how householders can responsibly dispose of old electrical equipment via the WEEE Directive here.
…by the way, just in case you’re interested, that white blob at the front of the keyboard is where my thumb sits!
It’s continual tapping has worn away the paint!
To coin a catchy phrase, ‘Am I bovered?’
..
TSx
LOL - Love your style Trace. What a humbling report. Thank you so much for sharing xx
Thank you Missus!
I find myself drawn into debate about this all too often - the problematic issues that present themselves ‘after’ we’ve done the right thing and recycled our rubbish, still remain and for some, it’s enough to put them OFF of recycling, which is utter madness!
The solution to minimising ship-loads of plastic and electronic waste being transported half way around the world for ‘reprocessing’ and dumping, is a long and complicated one.
The cycle is simple - these far flung destinations continue to supply we consumers with cheap goods, the carcasses of which head back in the empty ships that have delivered their goods to our shores.
If the ‘powers that be’ invested in some home-grown manufacturing industries that use recyclate in the UK, we could make a dent in it, but with our enormous rates of consumption, I doubt whether we could eradicate it completely.
But that’s only part of the solution.
We also need to poke a finger in the eye of fashion and shout a firm ‘No’ to the PR machine that prostitutes the idea of owning the latest thang, when the last thang was perfectly capable of continuing to work well.
That’s enough deep and meaningful for one posting - I’ve got to save my juices up for the next one!
TSx