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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Working conditions and environmental exposures among electronic waste workers in Ghana
International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, Volume 19, No. 4, Year 2013
Notification
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Description
Objective: To investigate and describe informal e-waste recycling and working conditions at Agbogbloshie, Accra, Ghana. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews which were qualitatively analysed from a grounded theory perspective. Results: Workers obtained e-waste from the various residential areas in Accra, then dismantled and burned them in open air to recover copper, aluminum, steel, and other products for sale to customers on-site or at the nearby Agbogbloshie market. The processers worked under unhealthy conditions often surrounded by refuse and human excreta without any form of protective gear and were thus exposed to frequent burns, cuts, and inhalation of highly contaminated fumes. We observed no form of social security/support system for the workers, who formed informal associations to support one another in times of difficulty. Conclusions: e-waste recycling working conditions were very challenging and presented serious hazards to worker health and wellbeing. Formalizing the e-waste processing activities requires developing a framework of sustainable financial and social security for the e-waste workers, including adoption of lowcost, socially acceptable, easy-to-operate, and cleaner technologies that would safeguard the health of the workers and the general public. © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd 2013.
Authors & Co-Authors
Akormedi, Matthew
Ghana, Accra
University of Ghana
Asampong, Emmanuel
Ghana, Accra
University of Ghana
Fobil, Julius Najah
Ghana, Accra
University of Ghana
Statistics
Citations: 67
Authors: 3
Affiliations: 1
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1179/2049396713Y.0000000034
ISSN:
10773525
Research Areas
Environmental
Violence And Injury
Study Design
Grounded Theory
Study Approach
Qualitative
Study Locations
Ghana