Environmental Impacts on Soil and Groundwater of Informal E-Waste Recycling Processes in Ghana

Karoline Owusu-Sekyere (), David Alatule Aladago, Dominik Leverenz, Martin Oteng-Ababio and Martin Kranert
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Karoline Owusu-Sekyere: Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality and Solid Waste Management, University of Stuttgart, Bandtäle 2, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
David Alatule Aladago: Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 59, Ghana
Dominik Leverenz: Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality and Solid Waste Management, University of Stuttgart, Bandtäle 2, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Martin Oteng-Ababio: Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 59, Ghana
Martin Kranert: Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality and Solid Waste Management, University of Stuttgart, Bandtäle 2, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 11, 1-21

Abstract: This study examines the environmental impacts of informal e-waste recycling processes in Agbogbloshie, Ghana, which is one of the most notorious e-waste recycling sites in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite being unsafe and unorganized, the informal sector is still actively involved in dismantling, extracting, and disposing of e-waste in unauthorized locations on a considerably large scale. However, the academic research on the environmental consequences of informal recycling practices is limited. Soil and groundwater samples for five important and representative informal e-waste recycling processes and one related oil process were collected and analyzed to determine heavy metal-, PBDEs, PCBs, CBs, and PAHs concentrations. Contamination indices were used to assess and compare the effects of informal recycling processes, thereby providing a geochemical evaluation of soil conditions. As a result, the manual dismantling of CRT and ICT devices is the major source of heavy metal pollution. Furthermore, the burning of e-waste plastic for waste reduction purposes and the oil collection process substantially contribute to the input of organic pollutants. Regulatory measures for CRT and ICT recycling would result in an 85% reduction of heavy metals and the enforcement of a compulsory collection system for plastic and oil would eliminate 86% of the organic pollutants.

Keywords: e-waste; sustainable development; informal recycling sector; recycling technology; soil contamination; groundwater contamination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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