Akormedi Matthew, Asampong Emmanuel, Fobil Julius N
Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Department of Social and Behavioural Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Int J Occup Environ Health. 2013 Oct-Dec;19(4):278-86. doi: 10.1179/2049396713Y.0000000034.
To investigate and describe informal e-waste recycling and working conditions at Agbogbloshie, Accra, Ghana.
We conducted in-depth interviews which were qualitatively analysed from a grounded theory perspective.
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.
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 low-cost, socially acceptable, easy-to-operate, and cleaner technologies that would safeguard the health of the workers and the general public.
调查并描述加纳阿克拉阿博布罗西地区的非正式电子垃圾回收情况及工作条件。
我们进行了深入访谈，并从扎根理论的角度进行了定性分析。
工人们从阿克拉的各个居民区获取电子垃圾，然后在露天进行拆解和焚烧，以回收铜、铝、钢及其他产品，以便在现场或附近的阿博布罗西市场出售给客户。加工工人在不健康的条件下工作，周围常常堆满垃圾和人类排泄物，且没有任何形式的防护装备，因此经常遭受烧伤、割伤，还会吸入高度污染的烟雾。我们未观察到针对这些工人的任何形式的社会保障/支持体系，他们成立了非正式协会以便在困难时期相互支持。
电子垃圾回收工作条件极具挑战性，对工人的健康和福祉构成严重危害。要使电子垃圾处理活动正规化，需要为电子垃圾工人建立一个可持续的金融和社会保障框架，包括采用低成本、社会可接受、易于操作且更清洁的技术，以保障工人和公众的健康。
