Technological waste, also known as electronic waste or e-waste, is one of the major environmental and public health problems in African countries, a situation aggravated by the inadequate management of this waste. Electronic devices contain heavy metals that are extremely harmful to both ecosystems and human health.
Unfortunately, most of this waste comes from industrialized countries and ends up accumulating in low-resource areas, mainly in Africa, raising serious environmental and humanitarian concerns.
The impact of heavy metals on health
Tech waste includes highly polluting materials such as mercury, lead, cobalt and arsenic. These metals are not only dangerous when the devices are in use, but are released more quickly when the devices are disposed of incorrectly, which often occurs in makeshift landfills in Africa. Workers and communities exposed to this waste are severely affected by the contamination.
In studies conducted in the Canary Islands, it has been discovered that immigrants from Africa exhibit dangerously high levels of vanadium in their blood, which is a clear indication of exposure to these residues in their country of origin. These levels are high enough to be considered toxic. Vanadium, aluminum, arsenic, lead and other elements were detected not only in a small proportion of the sample, but in 100% of the cases. The long-term consequences include respiratory disorders, damage to the nervous system and kidney problems, among other ailments.
Research and studies on African immigrants
A study conducted by the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the Insular Hospital examined the blood of 245 immigrants from Africa, and the results were alarming. Laboratory analyses not only confirmed the presence of vanadium in significantly higher concentrations than normal, but also aluminium, a metal that, although present in lower concentrations in developed nations, was found in levels up to 15 times higher among those analysed.
In many African households, kitchen utensils are made of this metal, which contributes to its accumulation in the human body. Of the 245 subjects, most were men aged between 15 and 45 who arrived in good health, but analyses revealed that 90% also had other heavy metals in their blood, such as lead and mercury. This indicates ongoing exposure through direct contact with technological waste.
The impact of lead and other heavy metals in Africa
Lead is one of the most toxic metals found in the blood of African migrants. This metal is known to affect cognitive development in children and cause neurological problems in adults. However, Africa lacks adequate infrastructure to process or recycle electronic devices.
Instead, faulty electronic devices pile up in open dumps, where workers, including children and women, are exposed to toxic fumes from these materials. Burning cables and devices to recover metals such as copper generates hazardous chemicals that are released into the environment. Ghana, for example, receives about 215.000 tonnes of technological waste a year, much of it from Europe, and only half of this waste can be used or repaired. The rest is burned or managed unsafely.
This has caused such a level of pollution that the Agbogbloshie landfill in Ghana's capital Accra has been deemed one of the most polluted places on the planet.
Technological waste: the vicious cycle of rich countries
The problem of electronic waste is not limited to poor or developing countries. The real core of the problem lies in the most developed countries. In countries like Spain, approximately 19,6 kg of electronic waste is generated per person per year. Although clean points and recycling are part of the solution, they are not always managed correctly. In fact, it is estimated that 57,7% of electronic waste disappears without being properly processed.
Typically, this waste is exported to Africa. This is where the cycle closes: rich countries extract raw materials from Africa to create electronic devices, which, once obsolete, return to the continent in the form of garbage. This “recycling” results in pollution whose effects are devastating both for the environment and for public health in the affected communities.
Electronic waste and the danger to the environment
E-waste creates pollution in both air and water. Toxins released by burning electronic devices affect crops, water sources and biodiversity. Recent studies have shown that e-waste polluting waters in Ghana and Nigeria has a direct impact on local wildlife, contaminating fish and other products that are then exported internationally.
This implies that technological pollution in Africa may be having an impact on global food security, as contaminated fish species are consumed on other continents, creating a feedback loop of contamination.
International agreements that are not complied with
One of the main problems is the lack of control over the export of waste from Europe to Africa. The Basel Convention, in force since 1992, prohibits the export of hazardous waste to developing countries. However, this does not prevent containers full of technological waste from reaching Africa disguised as “donations” or “second-hand materials”.
Customs in Africa do not always have sufficient resources to verify the contents of containers, which makes it easy for toxic waste to enter and be misclassified. While rich countries are protected by domestic laws regulating the proper management of waste, the countries receiving this trash do not have the resources to enforce international laws.
What can you do about it?
Raising awareness of this global problem is the first step. It is not just about pointing the finger at developed countries, but about creating fair and effective recycling systems worldwide. Here are some proposed measures:
- Improve recycling infrastructure in Africa: Create safe and efficient recycling plants in countries that receive this type of waste.
- Strengthen customs controls: In both exporting and receiving countries to prevent the illegal entry of electronic waste.
- Encourage reuse and repair: Instead of throwing away devices, businesses and consumers should prioritize repair.
- Corporate Responsibility: Companies that manufacture electronic devices must be responsible for ensuring that their products are properly recycled.
The problem of technological waste is complex and will not be solved overnight. However, with coordinated action by governments, businesses and consumers, it is possible to reduce its impact and protect both people and the environment.