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Title Title: E-waste in developing country context-Issues, challenges, practices, opportunities: Addressing the WEEE Challenge in Ghana.
Date 2014
Author(s) Yamoah, Samuel Baah
Contributor(s) Bertelsen, Pernille Scholdan
Abstract Informal recycling of WEEE in an environmentally unfriendly manner in Ghana is already impacting negatively on the environment. Alarmingly, the hazardous chemicals like copper, lead, tin, antimony, cadmium, etc that are released in the course of the open burning of WEEE have already been found in toxic quantities beyond the background levels in soils at e-waste recycling yards at Agbogbloshie in Accra, and at scrap yards in Kumasi and Koforidua (Brigden K et al., 2008; Alloway 1990; Salomons & Forstner, 1984). This phenomenon makes the proper and effective management of e-waste, which will ensure that the recycling is done in an environmentally friendly manner, all the more important.<br/>This report focuses on the draft national WEEE strategy by the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana, and looks at the drivers that must have influenced its drafting, the possible barriers that could affect its implementation as well as what could be done to ensure its success when it is eventually rolled out. As part of the compilation of this report, the semi-qualitative approach was adopted; employing the use of both qualitative and quantitative data in a bid to prosecute this work. The field data was sourced from informal scavengers and recyclers at Agbogbloshie through a survey whilst the qualitative data was sourced from key respondents through Skype and email interviews. The analysis of the field data was done within the context of chosen theoretical concepts so as to show the relevance of these concepts to this research whilst the data from the key respondents was used to answer the research questions as well as draw valid conclusions. The theoretical concepts upon which this research was based on are sustainable livelihood approach and political ecology.<br/>The main findings seek to provide answers to the posed research questions as well as conclude that in as much as the political backing of government will be crucial to the success of the draft national WEEE strategy, it is also vital that alternatives in the form of jobs especially within the informal recycling sector are created to reduce the over reliance of the urban poor and economically vulnerable on livelihood survival strategies like the informal recycling of e-waste which is impacting negatively of the environment.<br/><br/>
Subject(s) Political Ecology; Sustainable Livelihood Approach; Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment; Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana; Informal Recycling; Agbogbloshie; National WEEE Strategy
Coverage 78 pages
Language eng
Relation By-, Energi- og Miljøplanlægning, Kandidat; Urban, Energy and Environmental Planning, Master; 4. semester; 4. Term; http://vbn.aau.dk/ws/files/184682818/Thesis_Report_Samuel_Baah_Yamoah_PDF.pdf
Type of publication MASTERTHESIS
Format application/pdf
Repository Aalborg - Aalborg University
Added to C-A: 2016-09-22;13:12:15