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

被引:0
|
作者
Owusu-Sekyere, Karoline [1 ]
Aladago, David Alatule [2 ]
Leverenz, Dominik [1 ]
Oteng-Ababio, Martin [2 ]
Kranert, Martin [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Stuttgart, Inst Sanit Engn Water Qual & Solid Waste Managemen, Bandtale 2, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
[2] Univ Ghana, Dept Geog & Resource Dev, POB LG 59, Accra, Ghana
关键词
e-waste; sustainable development; informal recycling sector; recycling technology; soil contamination; groundwater contamination; DIOXIN-RELATED COMPOUNDS; ACCRA; AGBOGBLOSHIE; METALS; SITE; MANAGEMENT; SECTOR; CONTAMINATION; PCDD/FS; BLOOD;
D O I
10.3390/su16114347
中图分类号
X [环境科学、安全科学];
学科分类号
08 ; 0830 ;
摘要
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.
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页数:21
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