Chemical contamination at e-waste recycling and disposal sites in Accra and Korforidua, Ghana

The global market for electrical and electronic equipment continues to expand, while the lifespan of many products becomes shorter. Consequently, the waste stream of obsolete electrical and electronic products, commonly called “e-waste”, is also vast and growing, with estimates of 20-50 million tons per year being generated worldwide. Many of the products contain numerous hazardous chemicals and materials, and therefore the recycling and disposal of e-waste poses a threat to the environment and to human health.